Choose the Right Flour for the Right Bread

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Guidelines for Different Flour Purchases

Kafka once said, “I like the work in the workshop. The smell of bread, the singing of saws, the beating of hammers all fascinated me”. Thanks to the appearance of flour, Kafka was fascinated by all this.

Professional bakers, there will be choosed flour brand of long-term use. Like the tacit understanding of the old guys, the bread making with reliable flour is not panic, and the final fragrance of the finished product is also under control naturally. For beginner bakers, there are many kinds of flour on the market. Only when they really understand flour, can they step on the first step to bread making.

Today, let's talk about flour choices.

The indispensable soul of bread: flour

Federal government regulations in the United States define the word "flour" as wheat flour. The dictionary defines it as "a fine powdered food obtained by grinding and sieving grains, especially wheat, for baking purposes."

Why is flour the soul of bread? Wheat flour is the only flour that contains enough glutenin and gluten. When it combines with water, it forms gluten, which is an elastic reticular structure that allows the gas produced by yeast to diffuse without destroying the dough, thus producing a highly expanded and chewy bread core. Glutenin makes dough elastic. And gluten can make dough ductile. That's why flour is indispensable.

Various flours, different qualities

Flour is now roughly distinguished by two categories. Let's introduce the first one, which is based on the protein content in flour. Acoording to the protein content from high to low, the flour is divided into high gluten flour, medium gluten flour and low gluten flour.

High gluten flour: Generally speaking, wheat flour with protein content of 11.5%~14.5% and mineral content of 0.35%~0.45% is called high gluten flour, which can be used as various breads for staple bread. In the process of flour production, high gluten flour is mixed with hard wheat (hard refers to the structure of wheat grains, wheat with higher protein content) so that the gluten has greater elasticity, strong water absorption, and it is suitable for high strength and long-time stirring.

Medium gluten flour: winter wheat with hard red skin (Sown in autumn, harvested in late spring, growing cycle from winter wheat, known as winter wheat. Red skin refers to the color of bran) and is ground with soft wheat (which has low protein content). Protein content ranges from 8.0% to 10.5%. The body is loose. It is often used in Chinese snacks such as steamed buns, and dumplings.

Low gluten flour: wheat protein content is 6.5%~8.5%, mineral content is 0.3%~0.4%, mainly for all kinds of desserts and snacks. If bread is made from low-gluten flour, it is mainly used to make soft pastries such as pastries or doughnuts. The method of use is to add proper amount of low gluten flour to mix with other flour during mixing.

The other is distinguished by the proportion of ash in wheat (mineral content in packaging, related to its fiber content and taste). according to the ash proportion from low to high, the flour is divided into grade flour, first-grade flour, second-grade flour and last-grade flour.

The criteria for this classification are not determined by the state, but by the specifications set by flour manufacturers for their respective purposes of use.

In addition to the above flour classification methods, the flour to be introduced next is also commonly used in the market, you can choose and buy according to your own needs.

Special flour for French bread: wheat flour with protein content of 11.0%~12.5% and mineral content of 0.4%~0.55% is special flour for French bread. It is mainly used to make all kinds of hard or semi-hard bread, mainly French bread. In order to make authentic French bread, the French flour type 55 (mineral content is 0.5%~0.6%) is ground from hard wheat and semi-hard wheat.

Whole wheat flour: Whole wheat flour is flour made by grinding whole wheat grains roughly. Because wheat bran and wheat endosperm and germ are contained in flour, the mineral content of whole wheat flour is higher than that of common flour. If the requirement of bread taste and flavor is strict, and when making hard and semi-hard bread mainly consisting of whole wheat bread or rye bread, proper amount of whole wheat flour can be used to mix with other flour.

Rye flour: Rye is a strong-tasting grain widely grown in northern Europe and Russia. The protein content of gluten in rye flour is low, and it can not form gluten by mixing with water. It depends more on starch than protein. Therefore, rye bread is made by adding raw yeast to ferment sour taste. If you want to make other hard or semi-hard bread, you can add the right amount of rye flour to other flours.

Wheat germ powder: Germ wheat refers to the extracted wheat germ, which only accounts for 2% of the whole grain. It is rich in vitamin B1 and vitamin E, and has high nutritional value. The saying that we often hear "germ bread, germ wheat bread" refers to bread mixed with wheat germ powder into ordinary flour.

About Tsingbuy Industry Limited

Tsingbuy is a professional customized baking tray supplier China with more than 12 years experience and baking tray factory. We are taking the leading roles as China bakeware manufacturer and baking tray manufacturer, providing various China tray wholesale to international customers. We mainly manufacturing sheet pan, baguette tray, loaf pan/toast tin, bakery trolley, cooling rack, OEM industry cup tray, customized tray. And also supply banneton bread proofing basket, PP basket, Pizza tools and bakeware tools(bread lame, cake tools, dough scrapper, baking mat, tart ring, pastry blender).