Peter Aitken wrote:

> "Kate Connally" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Julianne wrote:
>>
>>>Okay, I am not a new bride or a young cook but I am inexperienced in
>
> many
>
>>>ways. Recently, I posted some questions about bread baking and got some
>>>wonderful responses from folks on this group. The thing is, most of
>
> y'all
>
>>>are experienced cooks (which is greatly appreciated) and assume a higher
>>>level of knowledge than us beginners.
>>>
>>>Here is what I have learned about making bread being shared for other
>>>beginners.
>>>
>>>Simplicity in ingredients is better. It is tempting to buy flour
>
> labeled
>
>>>just for bread, etc. but the good bakers always use 'all-purpose' flour.
>>
>>Where did this come from? Bread flour is always preferable
>>to all-purpose. Higher gluten content is why. Give better
>>texture. All the "better bakers" I know use bread flour.
>>
>>This is not to say you can't make perfectly good bread with
>>all-purpose but the bread flour really doesn't cost more and
>>you can get it in the supermarket now, right along side the
>>all-purpose. I remember the days when I had to go to special
>>stores or mail-order it. No reason not to use the good stuff
>>these days.
>>
>>Kate
>
>
> Bread flour is not automatically better for all breads. The higher gluten is
> an advantage for some kinds of bread but not for others. In fact, I recall
> reading that in France bakers use an all-purpose flour, gluten-wise, for
> baguettes. However you do not want to use just any all purpose flour because
> the gluten content can vary from 8% which is too low for most breads to 12%
> which is fine. Check the nutrition label which usually lists grams of
> protein per 100g of flour. That number is the gluten %.
>
>
Peter,

From King Arthur: "Q: How can I determine the protein level of flour
from the bag label? .
A: You can't. Nutrition labeling requirements aren't designed to reveal
the precise percentage of protein in flour. They're designed to give
approximate amounts, rounded to the nearest gram per 1/4 cup. For
example, a flour with 2.7 grams of protein per 1/4 cup and a flour with
3.3 grams of protein per 1/4 cup would both bear nutrition labels
reading 3 grams per 1/4 cup. However, the exact protein level of the
second flour is nearly 20 percent higher than the first. To learn the
exact protein level to the nearest tenth of a percent, you must contact
the flour company and ask. See King Arthur Flour's Specifications"
--
Alan

"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion, and
avoid the people, you might better stay home."
--James Michener