SC - Tech info re Biscuits - OOP

[Decker, Terry D.]

> She didn't explain why there's such a difference in protein content
> between brands.  I'm going to look at the popular brands in SC {Adluh,
> Red Band, etc} and check their protein content to see if the lower
> levels are prevalent among Southern brands.  Perhaps someone with a
> greater knowledge of baking can explain the discrepency?
> 
> John le Burguillun
> Cyddlain Downs {Columbia SC}
> Atlantia
> 
Almost all of the protein in wheat flour is contained in the gluten.  High
gluten flours make better bread.  Low gluten flours make better pastries.
There are a few circumstances where the reverse is true, but you probably
won't encounter them unless you are doing serious French artisan baking.  

Using low gluten flour, the texture of the product normally is softer with
more irregular aeration.

Unless you purchase specialty flours, most of what you can get in the store
is "all purpose" flour.  All purpose flour is a blend of hard and soft
flours, so that you can produce reasonable, but not great, breads and
pastries with it.  Each manufacture has their own blend.  In the case of
White Lily, the manufacturer uses a higher proportion of soft flour.

In over the counter flours, Gold Medal's Softasilk is about the softest at 8
grams protein per cup.  Some commercial pastry flours have fewer grams of
protein per cup, but you have to special order them in 50 to 100 lb. bags.

Bear
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