Thread: Who bakes bread?

Have any of you used either of these flours and can you comment on them? The proteins levels are similar to AP but the ash content is higher. My baguette recipe calls for 50/50 AP and bread flour. I'm thinking that the French style might be a good substitute. Anyone use them?

My understanding is the only difference between AP and bread flour is bread flour has more protein in it.

Originally Posted by Razorfeld

My understanding is the only difference between AP and bread flour is bread flour has more protein in it.

Proteins levels/ gluten content is part of it...a big part of it. But I guess there are other elements to consider as well such as ash content. These have less affect on the structure and more affect on taste. They usually clock in at a lower proteine level as well but that can be adjusted for. I'm just wondering if anyone has used them and to what degree of success. If nothing else, I'll try them myself and report back.

Also the milling is a bit different between AP and bread. If a recipe calls for bread and you use AP it will come out fine but the AP will be denser.

'Not speaking as an expert here, but the ash content = amount of bran sifted out vs left in. Ash equates to mineral content - that can't be reduced by incinerating the grain or flour. It seems to increase the potential for sour tang in a loaf. Some areas get strong tang naturally, other locations have to work at it. I substitute at least an ounce of whole wheat (in about 2.2 lbs of flour) for bread flour, and get a more tangy result.

Baguettes, usually being a very high hydration, can make for dough that's a challenge to handle (sticky, sloppy wet) and aim for a super open crumb w/ large, irregular holes and lacy, transparent walls in between holes. I've not done them - don't know why. At 6-8 loaves/wk, I'm always preoccupied w/ either having enough for weekly sandwiches or as gifts for people, customers, or occasions.

While KA is excellent flour, its costly. Between KA & other bread flours, I get equal results from Gold Medal "Better for Bread". The BFB is at least 1/2 the cost of KA around here. My staple bread flour has been Pendleton Mills (used to be local) "Morebread".

'Hope you have fun & get great results from your baguettes. Sometimes I'll put a few peeled cloves of garlic in 1/2c of olive oil, microwave for about 20 sec., and let it steep for an hour or so. 'Makes for a nice dipping mix.

You can buy a variety of flour at Costco for a song. KA is really just a retail outfit. They don't mill any flour. They buy and rebrand.

Its really not the brand I'm concerned about but the variety. Yes, the particle of bran left in the flour is the issue. Ive been reading that most French baguettes are made with flour that is less strong that our US bread flour and has a greater ash content. Hence my interest in first clear and this "French" variety. I make a lot of baguettes because that's what I like to eat, lots of crust and goes with just about anything.

KA sells a European style flour. I've used it in the past for french and italian breads and it works good. It's a blend of spring and winter wheat with some white whole wheat blended in and some ascorbic acid too.

It's pricey for flour but I'm going to try it just for the sake of experimentation. In a couple weeks I'll have some feedback.

Two days ago, I separated from the main chunk into the appropriate size, balled up, floured to prevent sticking, sheeted out, rolled into a loaf shape, and placed into pans... about 68,000 loaves of bread. Does that count?