FoodBanter.com - View Single Post - All-purpose Flour

Janet

In article 23>,
says...
>
> On Mon 05 Nov 2018 04:57:38p, Boron Elgar told us...
>
> > On Mon, 5 Nov 2018 23:23:49 -0000 (UTC), Wayne Boatwright
> > > wrote:
> >
> >>If any of you have used King Arthur all-purpose flour, have any of
> >>you noticed that it seems to produce a tougher pie crust than,
> >>say, Gold Medal or other major brands? All other components
> >>being equal, of course.
> >>
> >>I've pretty much given up on King Arthur AP flour. I would really
> >>like to find some pastry flour but no stores in my are seem carry
> >>it. Shipping costs being what they are, I think it's too
> >>expensive to order online.
> >
> > I have no problem with KA, but I am used to working with it. It
> > has a bit more protein than the GM, so perhaps that is the diff.
>
> Other than for pie crust I have no problem with KA AP when I use it
> for cakes, certain yeast breads, and quick breads.
>
> > Have you looked around online to see if there are any local
> > sources for the pastry flour? In times gone by, I have gotten
> > specialty flours from local bakeries I frequent, but there are
> > fewer and fewer custom ones these days, so it is tougher to have a
> > direct relationship.
>
> I've done extensive searches but no local availability. Most show
> results for Bob's Red Mill pastry flour and many of those show it as
> "out of stock". There were a few references for mail order, but I'm
> trying to avoid that. I've called numerous retail stores and no one
> carries it.
>
> > Can you get cake flour? Try a mix of KA + cake flour and see if
> > that improves tenderness for you.
>
> Actually I did try that several times in different ratios, based on
> "recipes" for such on different websites. The results were only
> marginally better.
>
> I'll try Gold Medal AP again as a last ditch effort before I give in
> and mail order some pastry flour.
>
> What really "bugs" me about this is that I've been baking pies for
> over 50 years - all kinds of pies, fruit, custard, cream, etc.
> Double-crust and blind-baked shells. My success rate is beeter than
> 90% for tender flaky crusts. The last perfect pie I baked was nearly
> 3 years ago. it's discouaging.
>

New oven? or maybe something has changed in your old one; one or more
of doorseals, fan, thermostat or timer showing their age/ not working
quite as efficiently as they should, or did.

I'd test the thermostat/ temperature control against a freestanding
oven thermometer, and the integral oven timer against an alarm clock.

Janet UK