Microbes are hungry. To survive, they need sugar. But flour is not sugar. It is starch—long, complex chains of glucose molecules locked together in granules. For a yeast cell, a starch granule is like a boulder. It is too big to eat. Before the yeast can feast, someone has to break the rock. This is the job of Amylase.

White flour provides the structure (gluten), but Rye flour provides the fuel. Many bakers view Rye simply as a flavour additive, but biologically, it acts as a high-octane injection for your fermentation engine.

Autolyse is a baking technique that involves mixing flour and water and allowing them to rest, to activate enzymes to break down starch and protein, and to hydrate flour.