Homemade gluten for bread

[Raquels Cocina]

Hello!

I am an avid baker who recently moved to Mexico from Colorado. I love our life in Mexico however I am having a terrible time finding any type of high gluten bread flour. The only flour in the local stores is a lower gluten variety made for pastries. I have looked everywhere for any type of gluten and now I am desperate enough to try to make gluten at home to add to my bread dough. I have done on-line searches and I see that there is an Asian dish where you rinse bread flour several times until it is reduced to a blob of gluten and then for the Asian dish you deep fry it. What I'm wondering is whether I could use this same method and simply add the ball of gluten to my bread dough. Does anyone have any information on this? Also, does anyone know of how to find bread flours or vital wheat gluten in Mexico??? Help.....

 

[Selkie]

Most supermarkets carry "Bread Flour" which is high gluten flour. Health food stores also carry straight wheat gluten which is used to add to specialty flour such as rye or whole wheat. You should be able to find both items within an easy drive from your home.

 

[justplainbill]

Can you mail order from the states?
Vital Wheat Gluten - 16 oz.

 

[Raquels Cocina]

Hello Selkie, Yes, most supermarkets carry bread flour in the states but I am living in Southern Mexico and that is simply not the case. I'm hoping to find a source of gluten here in Mexico or to learn how to make it myself from flour that I buy in the store.
Thanks for the suggestion Bill, I will use ordering from the States as a last resort. It gets very expensive with dutie fees and shipping. Also, we live in a rural area without a physical address! (It's always an adventure!) So it's a lot more complicated than it was in Colorado when I could get onto Amazon and order anything with just a simple "click". Keep the answers coming though. I really appreciate any advice! Thanks!!!

 

[FrankZ]

If I needed to I would give it a shot. I suspect if you use AP flour the overall amount of gluten you get out is going to be lower (lower yield per pound of flour). I don't know how well this would store though.

If you have people visit from the states you could ask them to bring some, but then you are at the mercy of that schedule.

The other option is to not try to make bread like the US and make the local breads. Everything you need is already there.

Good luck.

 

[pengyou]

I am glad that you posted this. I live in Shanghai and have the same problem with flour. I will be interested to see what you learn.

 

[Raquels Cocina]

Local breads are tortillas! LOL I'll keep you posted pengyou!

 

[Josie1945]

Raquel Welcome to Dc.

Josie

 

[dcSaute]

never heard of home made wheat gluten - so I started looking. there's a couple videos, etc.

but they don't use it as a powder added to other flour.

looking closely at the utube video - they _start_ with, you guessed it....
_bread flour_

gluten content is mostly controlled by the variety of wheat being milled - there's no "factory knob" for making just any old flour either high or low gluten.

 

[blissful]

High gluten bread flour is ground from hard red spring wheat. If you can buy the wheat, you can grind it.

Just like anything else, certain components of products are taken out of normal products and sold separately, raising the price of the product if you had the whole product.

Example: Soap, some companies take the glycerin out of it, and then sell it separately, and what you are left with is not the 'whole soap' with all the good qualities a basic glycerin containing soap would have--good for your skin. Instead of basic soap, buy a soap like product and a lotion for your skin.

Example: Hard Red Spring Wheat flour--good for breads. If they take the vital wheat gluten out of it, the flour can be used for pastries/cakes while the vital wheat gluten can be sold/bought separately. Instead of bread flour, buy cake flour and add gluten.

Example: Whole milk, skim off the cream, sell the less fatty milk separately from the cream. Instead of full fat milk, get skim milk and buy cream.

Gluten is an example of this in action. King Arthur sells 3 lbs. of bread flour from hard red spring wheat for $7.95. The separate vital wheat gluten is sold for 1 lb. for $6.95.

I've been hard pressed to find gluten in the grocery store; it took me 6 months to find just a 4 oz. package that was overpriced. I bought 4 lbs. of gluten from Amazon at a better price.

I made some bread this week with All Purpose flour and gluten added--it was delicious in taste and the texture can't be beat--crispy browned exterior, even bubbles in the crumb and chewy. Everyone love it. I'll be making for today for pizza and bread for tonight.

 

[pengyou]

Thanks for that input. So, even if I cannot find the hard red, red spring wheat, if I can find any whole wheat and have it ground I will have a much better product to use to make breads - is that correct?

 

[blissful]

Thanks for that input. So, even if I cannot find the hard red, red spring wheat, if I can find any whole wheat and have it ground I will have a much better product to use to make breads - is that correct?

From what I understand, some wheat has more gluten than others. hard red spring wheat has more. If you buy 'wheat' and don't know the kind of wheat, it could and probably has less gluten. There are people here that probably know more about the types of wheat and the gluten content in each. I'm sure they'll be about and give advice.

 

[zfranca]

Hi Raquel, I have been living in Guerrero since 2001 and I make bread regularly once a week. Yes, it is true the local flours resemble more the pastry flour but I found that mixing 50% white flour and 50% whole wheat flour the result is acceptable. I have an extra problem that you do not have (because I live on the Ocean side) and that is high humidity in the air. Nevertheless we find our bread so much better than the Bimbo bread you find in the stores. Once, a friend of mine brought from the States a small bag of gluten but in reality it did not make that much of the difference. Because I live here I try to make do with what I find locally. I use instant dry yeast. Here is a junior class in making focaccia.

 

[Raquels Cocina]

Hello!
It is so nice to hear from you! I too, make bread about once a week. In the states I made 100% whole wheat and supplimented the lack of gluten with vital wheat gluten bought in the grocery store. As we've been discussing it's impossible to find gluten in Mexico. I have compromised and made 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 white but I still don't get the results that I'm accostomed to. However, you are so right that it is much better than Bimbo! LOL
Is that you in the picture that you posted? Looks like your sharing your skill and love of baking with the next generation! I love to do that as well. My son and daughter (13 aand 14 years) have both learned to cook quite a bit by just helping me out in the kitchen.
Thanks again for your response. I suppose I need to relax and be content with the results I get with the 50/50 bread. I do wish I could make 100% whole wheat though!
What brought you to Mexico? Isn't it wonderful? We love living here. Most people think we're nuts but those are the people who only listen to the violence broadcast on CNN but have never experienced real life in Mexico.
Have a great week!

Blessings
Rachel (Raquel)

 

[justplainbill]

The pdf cited below provides some insight into food availability in Mexico
http://www.ats.agr.gc.ca/lat/4977-eng.pdf

 

[zfranca]

Hi Raquel, because this is a cooking forum, I will not go into political issues about Mexico. Like I said, I live in a rural area and my life is very simple. I will be happy to send you a copy of my book, "The precious Ingredient" which is partly autobiographical and you will know everything about me and my life in Mexico.Just send me a private message with your mailing address.
Yes, that is me in the picture. Most of my classes are with children. They are so much fun..
Life is a good pizza....
Franca

 

[zfranca]

P.S. I did some research based on information provided by the site that justplainbill supplied and it appears that a company called "aires de campo" offers productos organicos thru' Wallmart super centers all over Mexico.
Franca

 

[spork]

You mention an "Asian blob of gluten." It is actually sold as a dried product. If you have any markets that sell Asian groceries, you might look for it. Then simply grind fine. Maybe?