Alright, let’s talk about this Glicks High Gluten Flour I got my hands on. I’d been trying to make some decent bagels at home, you know, the kind with a real chew, not just soft bread rings. My regular all-purpose flour just wasn’t cutting it. Everything came out too soft, too fluffy. So, I went looking for something with more muscle.
Found this Glicks brand, specifically labeled “High Gluten”. Figured that had to be the ticket. Got a bag and brought it home. First thing I noticed when I opened it was… well, it looked like flour. Maybe a bit finer? Hard to say. The real difference showed up when I started mixing the dough for those bagels.
Mixing and Kneading – The Real Test
I measured everything out like usual, added the water, and started mixing. Right away, the dough felt different. It came together faster, but felt tougher, more… elastic? Yeah, elastic is the word. Kneading this stuff was a workout. Forget gentle folding; this dough needed some serious pushing and stretching. It felt strong, like it was fighting back a little.
- Felt Stronger: Definitely not like the soft all-purpose doughs I was used to.
- Good Stretch: You could feel that gluten working, making it stretchy but not tear easily.
- Needed Work: Had to knead it longer and harder to get it smooth.
I was making bagels, so after kneading, I shaped them. The dough held its shape really well. Didn’t sag or spread out much. Let them do their thing, boiling then baking.
The Final Bake – Did it Work?
Pulled them out of the oven, and they looked pretty good. Nice color, good shape. But the real moment of truth was the first bite. Success! That was it. That dense, chewy texture I remembered from proper New York style bagels. It wasn’t tough like rubber, just had that satisfying resistance when you bite into it. The crust was nice and crisp too, but the inside had that proper pull.
Compared to my previous attempts with regular flour, it was night and day. Those were basically bread rolls shaped like bagels. These? These were the real deal, or at least much closer to it.
So, yeah, the Glicks High Gluten Flour did exactly what I hoped it would. It gave the dough the strength it needed for that characteristic bagel chew. It’s not something I’d use for, say, a soft sandwich loaf or cake, obviously. But for things like bagels, maybe some pizza doughs where you want that structure and chew, it’s definitely the stuff to reach for. Made a believer out of me for specific bakes. Worth the extra effort in kneading for sure.
