How to Make Bread Flour

If you don't bake bread regularly, you may not see much point in having a bag of bread flour fill up shelf space in your pantry, even though it yields better results than using all-purpose flour. With a little effort, you can make your own bread flour.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• All-purpose flour
• Wheat gluten
• Mixing bowls

1. Measure out the minimum amount of all-purpose flour you'll need for the bread recipe. If the recipe says four to six cups of flour, start with four to avoid waste.

2. Add one tablespoon of wheat gluten for every cup of white flour. Stir until the flour and gluten are thoroughly mixed and you have your own bread flour.

3. Beat in the bread flour with your other ingredients, following the recipe, to make your dough. Add the flour one cup at a time, stirring it in thoroughly before adding more.

4. Begin kneading the dough by hand once it becomes firm enough. If stirring pulls it away from the side of the bowl, it's ready to knead.

5. Mix more gluten and all-purpose flour in a separate bowl if you have to add flour while kneading. Scatter it over the dough and work it in by hand.

Tips & Warnings

• You can find wheat gluten in the baking section of many supermarkets, or you can look for it in natural foods stores.
• The amount of flour you'll need varies with humidity, heat and air pressure. If you're experienced enough to judge how much you'll need, mix up a full batch of bread flour instead of just the minimum.
• Use a large bowl when you're mixing. It reduces the amount of flour that spills onto the counter.

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