On Thu, 17 Jan 2013 10:20:33 -0600, Moe DeLoughan >
wrote:

> On 1/16/2013 8:30 AM, sf wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > http://www.shape.com/blogs/shape-you...ill-allowed-us
> >
> > After all these years, I still haven't figured out why people buy
> > bleached flour when it bleaches all by itself over time.
> >
>
> It's not all about color. The average person wouldn't notice the
> difference in color between bleached and unbleached wheat flour unless
> it were pointed out to her.

You're right. It's more easily noticed when they are side by side.

> However, the bleaching process lowers the
> protein content and hence the gluten, making a softer flour that's
> better for baking tender products such as cookies, biscuits, and some
> cakes.

I didn't know, thanks. Not a huge baker and when I do bake, I'm not
into all that Southern "tenderness" stuff. I like my biscuits "rugged
and rustic", not tall and tender and I want my cake to have a real
crumb texture to it, not be all smooth and untextured like the typical
southern cakes I see in pictures.

I make cakes, bread and pizza dough with unbleached all purpose. I've
used bread flour for bread and pizza dough, but if there was a
difference, the gap was so narrow I missed it. I've also used 00
flour for pizza crust, which I thought acted more like pastry flour
and didn't like the results, even when I only used half (or less) 00.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.