Want to bake that perfect loaf at home, but you’re out of bread flour? You are in luck because, in a pinch, you can actually make a pretty good substitute yourself! All you need is your trusty old all-purpose flour and a stash of vital wheat gluten!
Here is how it is done.
What Kind Of Wheat Can I Use To Make Bread Flour?
While you can use a lot of different flours to make bread, bread flour itself is quite specific. Bread flour is produced by grinding hard spring wheat, which contains more protein than hard winter wheat found in all-purpose flour. The protein in bread flour enhances the dough’s strength and ability to rise. Bread flour has around 12-14% protein compared to 10-12% for all-purpose flour.
This is then where the vital wheat gluten comes in. Removing a little bit of the all-purpose flour in our bread flour substitute and adding some vital wheat gluten increases the gluten percentage of the all-purpose up to the bread flour range, which then improves the bake!
Do I Need Any Special Equipment To Make Bread Flour At Home?
All you need is a sieve, an airtight container, and measuring cups and spoons. Some prefer to use a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients to get it perfect, but I find that just eye measuring with a teaspoon works. Whatever floats your breadboat!
The most challenging thing to get is probably the vital wheat gluten! This is often sold at specialty stores or online.
Ingredients To Make Bread Flour At Home
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1.5 teaspoons of vital wheat gluten
How To Make Bread Flour At Home
Step 1: Measure 1 cup of all-purpose flour (129 grams).
Step 2: Remove 1.5 teaspoons of the all-purpose flour from the cup (4 grams).
Step 3: Add 1.5 teaspoons of vital wheat gluten (5 grams) into the cup.
Step 4: Sift to combine.
Step 5: Store in an airtight container in the pantry or refrigerator ready to use!
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Notes/Tips/Troubleshooting
- I really cannot think of any! This recipe is almost foolproof, and even if you mess it up and add too much or too little vital wheat gluten, there won’t be a massive difference in your final product.
Nutritional Facts
¼ cup of bread flour contains:
- 130 calories
- 26 grams of carbohydrate
- 1 gram of fiber
- 0 grams of sugar
- 0.5 grams of fat
- 5 grams of protein
- GI= 90
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FAQs
You can use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour to make bread, but it will be structurally better if you add the vital wheat gluten.
Yes, you can substitute other kinds of flour to make different varieties of bread, such as whole wheat flour or rye flour. However, bread flour does offer the best texture and volume for a classic white loaf.
Yes, you can use it as a thickening agent in many sauces. Just whisk in a tablespoon or two until your sauce reaches the desired consistency.
How to Make Bread Flour at Home
Ingredients
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1.5 teaspoons of vital wheat gluten
Instructions
Step 1: Measure 1 cup of all-purpose flour (129 grams).
Step 2: Remove 1.5 teaspoons of the all-purpose flour from the cup (4 grams).
Step 3: Add 1.5 teaspoons of vital wheat gluten (5 grams) into the cup.
Step 4: Sift to combine.
Step 5: Store in an airtight container in the pantry or refrigerator
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