Okay, so I was trying to bake some bread the other day, and it got me thinking about the flour I was using. I mean, I usually just grab whatever’s on the shelf, you know? But this time, I wanted to see if using a different kind of flour would make a difference. So I decided to try out this “high gluten” flour I’d heard about.
First off, I had to figure out what this high gluten stuff even was. Turns out, it’s just flour with more protein in it than the regular all-purpose kind. This extra protein helps the bread dough stretch more, giving it a chewier texture. That sounded pretty good to me, so I went out and bought a bag.
When I got home, I decided to make a simple loaf of bread, nothing fancy. I mixed the high gluten flour with some water, yeast, and a pinch of salt. Right away, I noticed the dough felt different. It was stickier and more elastic than what I was used to. I kneaded it for a while, and it seemed to hold its shape better than dough made with regular flour.
- One thing I read was that this flour can soak up more water than regular flour, so I added a little extra water as I was mixing.
- I also remembered reading somewhere that you can make your own high gluten flour by adding this stuff called “vital wheat gluten” to regular flour. I didn’t try that this time, but it’s something I might experiment with later.
After I let the dough rise and baked it, the bread came out looking pretty good! It had a nice, golden-brown crust and a soft, chewy inside. I cut a slice and took a bite. It definitely had a different texture than the bread I usually make. It was chewier, and I think I liked it better!
My Experiment Result
Overall, I’d say using high gluten flour was a success. My bread was noticeably different, and in a good way. I’ll probably keep using this flour for some of my bread recipes, especially when I want that extra chewiness. But I also think regular flour still has its place, depending on what kind of bread you’re making. It’s all about experimenting and finding what you like best, right?
I know that there are also gluten-free flour that are usually made from a blend of rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca flour, I did not try these this time but I am thinking about trying it next time!
I’m no expert baker or anything, but I thought I’d just share my little flour experiment with you all. Maybe it’ll inspire you to try something new in your own baking adventures!
