zfranca
Senior Cook
I have always wondered what bread flour actually means.
Does anybody know?
Does anybody know?
Bread flour? What is it?
- Thread starter zfranca
- Start date
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Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Bread flour is a higher protein flour. Flours are categorized by the amount of protein they contain. Cake flour is a lower protein flour, all-purpose flour is a medium protein flour and bread flour is a high protein flour.
This is important because the protein level determines the texture of the finished product. When you make a dough with flour, the protein produces gluten. More gluten makes breads chewier and tougher while less gluten makes cakes softer and more tender. AP flour in the middle gluten-wise will give you less chewy breads and less soft and tender cakes.
Keep in mind that a higher protein flour takes more water to make a dough so you cannot make a one for one substitution in a recipe.
This is important because the protein level determines the texture of the finished product. When you make a dough with flour, the protein produces gluten. More gluten makes breads chewier and tougher while less gluten makes cakes softer and more tender. AP flour in the middle gluten-wise will give you less chewy breads and less soft and tender cakes.
Keep in mind that a higher protein flour takes more water to make a dough so you cannot make a one for one substitution in a recipe.
I grew up in wheat country. It's all about the kind of wheat that was ground to make the flour.
Hard Red Winter - The dominant U.S. export class and
the largest class produced each year, Hard Red Winter
is produced in the Great Plains states, a large interior
area extending from the Mississippi River west to the
Rocky Mountains and from Canada to Mexico. With
a wide range of protein content, good milling and
baking characteristics, it is used to produce bread,
rolls and all-purpose flour.
Hard Red Spring - This wheat contains the highest
percentage of protein, making it an excellent bread
wheat with superior milling and baking characteristics.
Durum - The hardest of all wheats, and consistently
the class with the lowest export volume, Durum
accounts for less than 5 percent of all U.S. wheat
exports. Used to make semolina flour for pasta
Hard White - The newest class of wheat to be grown
in the United States, Hard White Wheat is closely
related to red wheats. This wheat has a milder, sweeter
flavor, equal fiber and similar milling and baking properties.
It is used mainly in yeast breads, hard rolls, bulgur, tortillas and
oriental noodles.
Soft Red Winter and Soft White - are high yielding, but have a
relatively low percentage of protein. Used for
flat breads, cakes, pastries, and crackers
.40
Hard Red Winter - The dominant U.S. export class and
the largest class produced each year, Hard Red Winter
is produced in the Great Plains states, a large interior
area extending from the Mississippi River west to the
Rocky Mountains and from Canada to Mexico. With
a wide range of protein content, good milling and
baking characteristics, it is used to produce bread,
rolls and all-purpose flour.
Hard Red Spring - This wheat contains the highest
percentage of protein, making it an excellent bread
wheat with superior milling and baking characteristics.
Durum - The hardest of all wheats, and consistently
the class with the lowest export volume, Durum
accounts for less than 5 percent of all U.S. wheat
exports. Used to make semolina flour for pasta
Hard White - The newest class of wheat to be grown
in the United States, Hard White Wheat is closely
related to red wheats. This wheat has a milder, sweeter
flavor, equal fiber and similar milling and baking properties.
It is used mainly in yeast breads, hard rolls, bulgur, tortillas and
oriental noodles.
Soft Red Winter and Soft White - are high yielding, but have a
relatively low percentage of protein. Used for
flat breads, cakes, pastries, and crackers
.40
OP
OP
zfranca
Senior Cook
Thank you guys, very much ...Now I get it.
Once I bought a small bag of just gluten (in a healthfood store), and the lady who sold it to me said it could be added to regular flour for extra elasticity, etc...She did not explain it as well as you guys did.
My bread making here in Mexico is not as satisfactory as it used to be in the USA, but it is better than the Bimbo bread they sell here is.
May be if I were to add (let's say a TBS) of gluten to one pound of this Mexican extra fina flour (I have no idea what kind of flour it is, but it appears to be on the soft side), would I get something similar to bread flour?
Once I bought a small bag of just gluten (in a healthfood store), and the lady who sold it to me said it could be added to regular flour for extra elasticity, etc...She did not explain it as well as you guys did.
My bread making here in Mexico is not as satisfactory as it used to be in the USA, but it is better than the Bimbo bread they sell here is.
May be if I were to add (let's say a TBS) of gluten to one pound of this Mexican extra fina flour (I have no idea what kind of flour it is, but it appears to be on the soft side), would I get something similar to bread flour?
Attachments
justplainbill
Executive Chef
Perhaps you could order some flour from King Arthur or look around for white unbleached whole wheat, and some durum (semolina).
Last edited:
Frank 2022
Assistant Cook
It's too bad you didn't read the earlier posts.
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