Okay, so I’ve been on this baking kick lately, trying out different flours and stuff. I saw this “Shepherd’s Grain Low Gluten Flour” and thought, “Why not?” I mean, I like a good, tender crumb, especially in things like muffins or cakes. So, I grabbed a bag.
First thing I did was just feel the flour. Sounds weird, I know, but you can kinda tell a lot about a flour by just touching it. This one felt super fine, almost silky. Definitely different than my usual all-purpose.
My Muffin Experiment
I decided to try it out with a basic blueberry muffin recipe. Nothing fancy, just a recipe I’ve used a million times before with regular all-purpose flour.
I mixed up the dry ingredients – the Shepherd’s Grain flour, some sugar, baking powder, a little salt. The flour was so fine, it almost seemed to float in the bowl! Then I whisked together the wet ingredients – melted butter, milk, an egg, some vanilla.
The tricky part with low-gluten flour, I figured, was not to overmix. So, I poured the wet into the dry and very, very gently folded everything together. I mean, barely mixed it. There were still a few lumps, but I didn’t want to mess with it too much.
Lastly. I folded some fresh blueberries.
- I scooped the batter into my muffin tin, filling each cup about two-thirds full.
- I sprinkled a tiny bit of sugar on top of each one, just for a little extra crunch.
- Into the oven they went, at around 375 degrees Fahrenheit. I kept a close eye on them, because I wasn’t sure how the baking time would be affected.
They baked for about 20 minutes, maybe a little less than usual. I stuck a toothpick in one, and it came out clean. Perfect!
The result? Seriously amazing muffins. They were incredibly tender, almost cake-like. The texture was so light and fluffy. The low-gluten flour definitely made a difference. They weren’t tough or chewy at all. My family devoured them. Success!
I’m definitely going to experiment more with this flour. I’m thinking cakes, quick breads, maybe even some cookies. If you’re looking for a really tender crumb, I’d say give this Shepherd’s Grain Low Gluten Flour a shot. Just remember – don’t overmix!
