Alright, so I decided to give this heritage high gluten flour a whirl. Heard some folks talking about it, figured I’d see what the fuss was about. You know me, always messing around in the kitchen.
Getting Started
First off, getting my hands on it wasn’t too hard, found it online. When I opened the bag, it looked pretty much like regular flour, maybe a bit creamier in color? Hard to say. Didn’t feel hugely different either, just regular flour feel.
So, I thought, let’s make some bread. That’s the real test, right? I usually stick to my standard recipe, figured I’d do the same here to see the difference.
The Mixing and Kneading Part
Okay, this is where things got interesting. I started adding water, my usual amount. But this flour, man, it just sucked it right up. The dough felt dry almost immediately. Had to add more water, bit by bit, until it felt kinda right. Definitely thirstier than my all-purpose or regular bread flour.
Then came the kneading. Wow. This stuff develops gluten fast. Like, really fast. Normally I knead for a good 10 minutes, sometimes more. With this heritage high gluten stuff, the dough felt strong and elastic much quicker. Almost got tough if I wasn’t careful. It was a bit of a workout, felt like the dough was fighting back more than usual. It felt… sturdy.
Fermentation and Shaping
Let it rise. Seemed to rise okay, maybe not as dramatically high as some other doughs, but it puffed up nicely. It held its shape really well when I tipped it out. Shaping was different too. Because it was so strong, it had a lot of spring back. Had to be pretty firm with it to get it into a loaf shape. It wasn’t floppy at all, felt like it had real structure already.
Baking and The Final Result
Popped it in the oven. Smelled great while baking, like any good bread. When I pulled it out, the crust looked amazing. Really deep brown, nice and crisp.
- Crust: Seriously crispy. Stayed that way too, even after cooling.
- Crumb: This was the big difference. The inside was chewy. Like, really chewy. Not tough in a bad way, but it had serious bite. Made great toast.
- Structure: The loaf stood tall, didn’t spread out much at all during baking. Held its shape perfectly.
So, What’s the Verdict?
Well, this heritage high gluten flour is definitely different. It makes a very strong dough. I can see why people use high gluten flour for things like bagels or certain types of pizza crust where you want that serious chew and structure.
For my everyday sandwich bread? Maybe it’s a bit too chewy, unless I blend it with some other flour. But for rustic loaves, artisan breads, or anything needing strength, yeah, I get it now. It takes a bit of getting used to, especially with the water absorption and the fast gluten development. You gotta pay attention while mixing and kneading.
Was fun to try though. Definitely keeping it in the pantry for when I want that specific texture. Another kitchen experiment done!
