[Sca-cooks] Grain mill question

[Terry Decker]

>And as I recall  the softer wheats are  lower gluten?  The reason harder
>wheats "Improved breadmaking?"
>

Right.

>I think, from what I saw in Elizabeth David's book (not in front of me,
>don't recall title) that they still use a slightly lower gluten flour in
>Europe than we do in America.
>

European bakers were importing hard flours for bread when David's book was
written nearly 30 years ago.  I believe that may still be the case.

>I've just found the White Whole Wheat in a store I can get to, and for
>unrelated reasons am finally going to be getting back to baking... so I
>may be playing with this. Not entirely for SCA purposes... among other
>things, I bake with all whole wheat for my own purposes. We'll see if
>I'm crazy enough to bolt flour... *G* Don't count on it...
>
>Lower gluten, softer wheat. Hmm... that will benefit from longer slower
>rising and sponge techniques? (Pulling out of long disused memory...)
>And these methods give more flavor? Lots to play with...
>
>AEllin

Sponges and slow rises tend to improve flavor in bread.  Hard flours produce
long gluten strands that better trap the carbon dioxide and give better
aeration to the crumb.

Bear