Okay, so I’ve been on this baking kick lately, trying to perfect my sourdough. And everyone keeps talking about flour, flour, flour. So, I decided to try out this Pillsbury High Gluten Flour I saw at the store.
Getting Started
First things first, I grabbed the bag. It’s just a regular paper bag, nothing fancy. I opened it up and, yeah, it looks like flour. Smells like flour, too. I guess that’s a good start.
Mixing it Up
I followed my usual sourdough recipe – you know, the one I’ve been tweaking for like, a year now. I measured out the flour, added the water and my starter, and mixed it all together. It felt…different. I can’t really explain it. Maybe a little…stronger? Like, it had more resistance when I was stirring.
The Kneading Game
Then came the kneading. Oh boy. This is where I really noticed the difference. This dough was TOUGH. I mean, I’m used to kneading, but this was a workout. My arms were actually sore! It definitely felt like it was developing a lot of gluten, which, duh, it’s high gluten flour.
- Seriously, my arms hurt.
- Felt strong.
Bulk Fermentation
I let it rise in my usual spot, covered with a damp towel. I checked on it every hour or so, doing the whole stretch-and-fold thing. It seemed to be rising a bit faster than usual, which was interesting. It definitely had that nice, bubbly look you want in a good sourdough.
Baking Time!
Finally, baking time! I preheated my Dutch oven, scored the dough (still working on my fancy designs, haha), and popped it in the oven. I followed my usual baking times and temperatures. Fingers crossed!
The Results
Okay, I pulled it out of the oven, and it looked AMAZING. Seriously, the best oven spring I’ve ever gotten. It was this beautiful golden brown, with a nice, tall rise. I tapped the bottom, and it sounded hollow, just like it should.
I let it cool (the hardest part!), then sliced into it. The crumb was…wow. So airy and open, with those big, irregular holes that everyone loves. And the taste? Chewy, with that classic sourdough tang. I think the high gluten flour really helped with the texture.
So, yeah, I’m pretty happy with the Pillsbury High Gluten Flour. It definitely made a difference in my sourdough. I’ll probably keep using it, at least for a while, to see if I can keep getting these results. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go eat another slice.
