To the lay baker, "bread flour" doesn't seem much different (or not even different) from "all-purpose flour". In fact, bread flour is a type of flour made from high protein wheat, and as the name implies, has the appropriate and specific qualities for use in the bread-making process. As a result, bread flour has a very high gluten content and is able to produce bread that is denser and "solid" when cooked. Since not everyone has bread flour in their kitchen, try reading this article to replace it with an easier-to-find type of flour, such as all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Making Bread Flour from All-purpose Wheat Flour
Step 1. Purchase wheat gluten at a supermarket or online store
To practice this recipe, you only need two ingredients: all-purpose flour and wheat gluten. Of course you already know that all-purpose flour can be easily purchased anywhere. However, you generally need to put in more effort to get wheat gluten, which is usually only sold at bakery stores (TBK).
- If you have trouble traveling or have limited free time, try buying wheat gluten online at prices that tend to be cheap per small bag.
- Don't worry, you only need to use a few teaspoons of wheat gluten for most bread recipes.
Step 2. Measure the all-purpose flour that will be used
Observe the recipe to identify the amount of bread flour needed. After that, replace the bread flour with all-purpose flour using a ratio of 1: 1. Then, pour the flour into a separate bowl.
Step 3. Add 1 teaspoon of wheat gluten for every 128 grams of flour
This method must be done so that all-purpose flour has the same quality and texture as bread flour. Use these proportions as a guide if you want to increase the amount of flour.
For example, if you have to use 2 cups of bread flour (equivalent to 320 grams), you'll need to add 2 tsp. wheat gluten into it
Step 4. Add a little whole wheat flour
This step isn't essential, but it's worth it to tie all the ingredients together and make the end product taste a little "nutty". Do not add more than tsp. for every 128 grams of flour, so that the total volume of dry ingredients used does not change too much.
Step 5. Mix all ingredients
First, sift the flour and wheat gluten into a bowl. After the two are mixed well, the flour should have a texture and quality similar to bread flour.
The gluten content in wheat flour will make the final result of bread textured more dense and "sturdy". Therefore, do not rush to panic if the resulting bread is slightly different from the bread you usually make or eat
Method 2 of 2: Making Bread Flour from Whole Wheat Flour
Step 1. Measure the wheat flour to be used
The basic process that must be done to "convert" whole wheat flour into bread flour is not much different from the previous method. However, there are some minor adjustments you will have to make. First of all, you need to first pour the wheat flour into the bowl.
Again, use the amount of wheat flour required in the recipe. If you were asked to use 384 grams of bread flour, start by pouring 384 grams of wheat flour into a bowl
Step 2. Then, add 2 teaspoons of wheat gluten to every 128 grams of flour
Remember, whole wheat flour contains epidermis which can weaken the effects of gluten. Therefore, you need to intentionally add artificial gluten to get comparable results.
If you must use 384 grams of whole wheat flour, that means you need to add six tsp. wheat gluten into flour
Step 3. Mix all ingredients
First, sift the flour and wheat gluten into a bowl. In fact, the mixture of the two has become a quality substitute equivalent to bread flour. However, you still need to take a few extra steps to get the best results. Read the next step!
Step 4. Add water to the wet ingredients
The bran and protein content of whole wheat flour tends to make the dough a little easier to absorb than when you use regular flour. Therefore, add about 2 tbsp. water for every 128 grams of wheat flour used.
Specifically, add water to a mixture of wet ingredients such as eggs, oil, and milk. Do not mix it directly into the flour to make it easier for the water to mix into the dough
Step 5. Allow the dough to rise
When making bread with bread flour, you generally need to let the dough sit until it has doubled in size. However, dough made from wheat flour only needs to be allowed to stand until it has risen in size by 1 times. Why is that? The use of wheat flour tends to reduce the flexibility of the dough. As a result, the dough is prone to "deflating" when baked and cannot maintain its original size.
Tips
- There are many types of flour that have not been mentioned in this article. If you want to experiment, understand first that not all types of flour can give satisfactory results. However, ignorance is part of the fun of experimenting in the kitchen, right?
- In fact, making gluten-free bread flour is an almost impossible option. Remember, the right texture of bread flour can only be achieved with the help of high levels of gluten. While you can use gluten-free flour (such as buckwheat/buckwheat flour) to practice a variety of gluten-free bread recipes, be aware that the final texture of the resulting bread will be different.
