Okay, here is my sharing about buying high-gluten flour:
So I tried to make some bread the other day. I followed the recipe and used the flour I had at home, but the bread came out kinda flat. Then I remembered this term, “high-gluten flour,” which I saw before, maybe, from some baking video? I thought, maybe that’s what I need for my bread.
First, I checked the local grocery stores. I went down the baking aisle, reading all the labels, but I couldn’t find anything that said “high-gluten flour.” I did see “all-purpose flour” and “bread flour,” but they did not seem to be what I wanted. I even asked one of the staff, but they looked at me like I was speaking some foreign language.
Next, I started to search online. I typed “where to buy high-gluten flour” into the search bar. I found a few online stores that sold it, but the shipping fees were a bit high. I also read some forums where people shared their experiences. Some recommended looking for “gluten” to know what the flour is.
Then I had a thought. What about those specialty baking stores? I found a couple of them in my city and decided to pay them a visit. The first store didn’t have it, but the second one did! The staff there was really helpful. They explained to me that high-gluten flour is often used for things like bagels and pizza dough because it gives them a chewy texture. They showed me a bag of flour that says it contains some “combination of proteins” – gluten.
I bought a bag, and it wasn’t even that expensive. I used it to make another loaf of bread, and guess what? It was so much better! It rose beautifully and had that nice, chewy texture I was looking for. I realized that the type of flour really does make a big difference. I felt like a real baker. It may sound funny, but it was so satisfying to see the result.
- Go to local grocery stores
- Search online
- Visit specialty baking stores
Lesson learned
If you’re serious about baking, especially bread, paying attention to the type of flour you use is important. High-gluten flour might not be as common as all-purpose, but it’s out there. Don’t be afraid to ask around or explore different stores. Or, you can simply search for “gluten” to see if it is the flour you look for. It’s a learning process, and that’s part of the fun!
