Flour

[Lucinda]

I never really gave much thought to different AP flour brands until I started baking bread. There really is a huge difference in terms of the finished dishes.

I LOVE KA unbleached AP flour for the Ain5 bread but it makes dry, blah, shortbread. Won't make that mistake again.

Never too old to learn something new. :)

[grasswire]

1. what is a better flour for shortbread?

Do tell.

[Lucinda]

2. We loved it with White Lily All Purpose

The White Lily has a much more delicate texture, yet holds together well, with better moisture, than the KA. It made a HUGE difference.

[housewolf]

3. Are you interested in why that is so?

I can explain a little, if you're curious.

[eleny]

5. I am - thanks!

[housewolf]

13. It has to do with the protein content of the wheat

Bread flour has the most, then KA's AP, then everybody else's AP, then White Lily and other southern flours, and cake flour has the least.

There are several types of wheat grown in the US - red hard wheat flour, white hard winter wheat, and soft spring wheat. Hard winter wheat has the strongest protein, and is generally used in bread flours. Most bread flours are a mix of hard winter wheat and soft wheat, and the mills blend them to maintain a consistency of product at about a 13% protein content. KA's AP is hard winter wheat (at about 11.5% protein content), higher protein than other brands of AP flour that blend hard and soft wheats to obtain about 10% protein content, and vary by brand and by region. Cake flour is always bleached and a soft wheat flour, with about 6 - 8% protein content and the bleaching acidifies the flour somewhat. Southern flours such as White Lily are soft red winter wheat and are about 8% - 10% protein. Pastry flour is about 9-10% protein soft wheat. Then there are hard wheat specialty bagel flours that are even higher protein than bread flour to create those wonderfully chewy bagels.

Now, you might ask, what does the protein content of flour have to do with anything? And actually, when it comes to breadbaking, the answer is... not everything, but quite a bit! The higher the protein content, the stronger gluten strands can develop. The stronger gluten, the higher the dough can rise and the more "tolerant" it is - meaning that dough can hold a maximum rise for a while before falling back.

The lower the protein content, the more tender, less chewy a product will be. That's why the best cakes are made from the lower-protein cake flour, and soft flours like White Lily make the best, most tender biscuits and pie crust.

Higher protein flours also absorb more water than lower protein flours do, which is one reason why you sometimes need more water when making a recipe with bread flour than you do when making the same recipe with all-purpose flour.

For shortbread, using a higher-protein flour like KA's AP will cause a stronger gluten formation, creating a more "tough" cookie, while using cake flour would create a weaker structure, cause it to crumble. That's why recipes for chewy chocolate chip cookies call for bread flour, while replacing a few tablespoons of AP flour with cake flour will give you a more tender cookie (and possibly a bit puffier).

:hi:

[Lucinda]

15. Great info! Thanks for posting this!

I'm bookmarking it too, but I'll remember because it explains my "in house" trial results.

This is excellent info. Thankie! :hi:

[Lucinda]

12. I've read that their processing gives a higher protein level and a better rise

I know it sucks up moisture like crazy, but I don't know the fine points. I'm always happy to learn more. :)

[housewolf]

14. I posted some flour info to Eleny's post

Hope you find some of it interesting and helpful.

[Mind_your_head]

4. I've been taught that it's "not polite" to speak in terms that 'outsiders'

won't understand. Sure, it identifies the speaker/writer as 'one of the cool group', but it doesn't welcome the listeners/readers who willing/wanting to learn.

AP = All Purpose (as in All Purpose Flour)

KA = King Arthur (many consider this a 'superior flour', rightfully so probably)

Ain5 bread = you 'got me on that one' :shrug:

[eleny]

6. There's been an ongoing discussion about this bread baking here for some time

So, don't be put off. This is an extremely friendly and polite group. Just ask anything.

[Mind_your_head]

8. What does Ain5 bread mean?

I think I just asked that in a round-about way.

I'm friendly. :hi:

[Shakespeare]

10. It refers to the currently popular "artisan bread in 5 minutes" recipes.

:hi:

[NMDemDist2]

7. A in 5 Bread is the new recipe/style of bread making from the book

Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day

and it's great!

http://www.amazon.com/Artisan-Bread-Five-Minutes-Revolutionizes/dp/0312362919

and here's a youtube from the authors

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMxJgIpe38Q


edit to add, welcome to C&B :hi:



.

[eleny]

9. I just watched the video - holy cow!

That looks so easy. I ordered the book from the library and it should be but a few weeks before it's available for me.

How you doing? Are you away on your trip or back home. Hope your back is okay. Ain't I nosy?

[NMDemDist2]

11. I',m still in Nevada, flying out tomorrw and home around 8PM tomorrow

it's been a tough trip, physically and emotionally.

my friend of 30+ years has terminal cancer (he's only 59 but moves like he's 80) and I had to come see him. when I got here, I was shocked at his living conditions

I cleaned and organized and got him a bunch of stuff to make his life easier. I feel I did a good thing but it was taxing. Especially considering there was no running water, we had to take two trips to 'town' to fill 6 gallon jugs at friend's homes.

read his story here www.getthisshirt.com/history.html

thanks for asking, you are a sweetheart :pals: