SC - Flours was:[Dstlg] beer bread, OOP

[Decker, Terry D.]

> Thanks, Lillian
> 
> Arabella said:
>      I have had the same problem with my bread maker.  I have found that
> wheat flour takes longer to cook, and the very best flour for a bread
> machine is the type ground specially for the machine.  Gold Medal makes
> one, it comes in a yellow package. There's is something about how it's
> ground that makes it different from regular bleached flour.
> 
The yellow bag Gold Medal flour I'm familiar with is a bromated flour.  It
contains additives to increase aeration and improve the rise.  I've used it,
but it causes problems with fine baking, so I tend to use all-purpose flour
except where a specialty flour is required.  It might improve the action of
a bread machine.

I believe you are also talking about whole wheat when you say wheat flour.
Whole wheat has less gluten than white flour.  If you are not already doing
it, try mixing whole wheat and white flour 1:1.  If the recipe calls for 1
pkg (teaspoon) of yeast, you might consider using 2 teaspoons of yeast. 

> To which Kiriel replied:
> Most of the flour you buy in the local supermarket is too low in
> gluten to make really good bread.  Gluten is the protein in
> wheat, and helps to give doughs resilience, stretch and
> good rising abilities.  Most shop-bought flours have been
> bleached within an inch of their lives (so to speak) and have
> very little protein left.
> 
> Having lived in USA most of my life and moved to Australia, I never had
> the problem with low gluten flours til I moved here. While I agree that
> most shop bought flours have less gluten in them, I found the problem
> worse in Australia. My mother, living in the US still makes lots of
> bread, I do not believe she normally adds gluten. Times do change
> however and I could be wrong.
> 
> Nicolette
> Barony of Stormhold
> Principality of Lochac, Kingdom of the West
> 
The gluten content is dependent on the type of wheat and to some extent the
processing.  The preferred wheats for bread making are "hard" wheats, those
having a red, amber or yellow skin.  "Soft" wheats have a pale, almost white
skin.  Hard wheats are high in gluten.  The best hard wheats are grown
primarily in the US and Canada.  Rye has some gluten, but all other cereals
have virtually none (flours other than wheat are mixed with wheat flours to
get a rise).

In processing, whole wheat has less gluten than white wheat.  Bleaching
doesn't do much to gluten, but it does remove the B-vitamins.  I prefer
unbleached white flour for my general baking.  Wheat germ and bran are
removed in the milling process, but that has more to do with nutrition than
good baking.

Store bought flour in the US is more than adequate to make a good loaf of
bread.  I don't know about the situation in Australia, but you might look to
see if any of the flours are labeled as "strong" flour.  If you do have low
gluten flour, rejoice, it makes great cakes and pastries.  If you want to
use it to make bread, and about an ounce of gluten extract to the pound and
toss in a little wheat germ for good measure. 

Beyond that, I would look for a bakery supply that is willing to sell to the
general public.

Bear
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