I live and die by Bread Flour. I easily have 100lbs of it on hand at any given moment. I know it sounds like a lot but I do a TON of baking for home and commercial use so it makes sense.
I love bread. No, really. I LOVE bread. I swear there is nothing better than a warm slice of freshly baked bread with butter and homemade preserves on it. This, many a nights, has been dinner for me.
Now I know carbs are bad. So… Seriously, so what! I live a very healthy lifestyle, work out like it’s my job so if I wanna have a dinner of butter bread, I am damn it.
QUIT JUDGING ME! LOL
No seriously, I do love my bread but just like everything else in life, it has to be in moderation.
As you can tell on here I have a bunch of bread recipes that call for bread flour. Well not every home cook has bread flour on hand. Just like cake flour and self rising flour, you buy it specifically for a single recipe and then it sits. Why? To me that’s wasting money ESPECIALLY when you can make it yourself using All Purpose flour.
Now the recipe is really, REALLY difficult so I’m going to apologize now.
***5-24-18 UPDATE***
So I want to make a few remarks about this. Not all All Purpose Flour is the same. Even though they are labeled as AP flour, the amount of gluten it has in it can vary from brand to brand. That being the case, the amount of vital wheat gluten can vary from 1 tsp per cup of flour to 3 Tbl per cup of flour.
The only consistent advice about converting all-purpose flour to bread flour is that you have to add some wheat gluten. The problem is that no one agrees on an amount. One Yeast company states to use 1 tsp of vital wheat gluten to 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Cook’s Thesaurus recommends 2 tsp per 1 cup of flour. Better Homes and Gardens suggests 1 to 3 tablespoons of gluten per recipe. Why does it vary like this? NOT ALL AP FLOUR IS THE SAME. My advice, start off with 1 tsp, make a test recipe and if that still doesn’t turn out, add more vital wheat gluten.
For me and the AP Flour I use, my ratio is 1 cup to 1 Tbl.
PrintHow to make Bread Flour
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
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Ingredients
- 1 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 Tbl Vital Wheat Gluten
Instructions
- Add both to a bowl, whisk.
- Store in cool, dry, air tight container.
Notes
If you are making a big batch of this to store, I’d recommend after you whisk it together to sift the ingredients together this way you will get even distribution.
Store in your container then.
So I want to make a few remarks about this. Not all All Purpose Flour is the same. Even though they are labeled as AP flour, the amount of gluten it has in it can vary from brand to brand. That being the case, the amount of vital wheat gluten can vary from 1 tsp per cup of flour to 3 Tbl per cup of flour.
The only consistent advice about converting all-purpose flour to bread flour is that you have to add some wheat gluten. The problem is that no one agrees on an amount. One Yeast company states to use 1 tsp of vital wheat gluten to 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Cook’s Thesaurus recommends 2 tsp per 1 cup of flour. Better Homes and Gardens suggests 1 to 3 tablespoons of gluten per recipe. Why does it vary like this? NOT ALL AP FLOUR IS THE SAME. My advice, start off with 1 tsp, make a test recipe and if that still doesn’t turn out, add more vital wheat gluten.
For me and the AP Flour I use, my ratio is 1 cup to 1 Tbl.
Tough, huh? *wink*
I want to make gluten free bread can thus be done using gluten free flour? If so is th here a recipe??
No. You’re adding vital wheat gluten which is not gluten free.
Best Kitchen Wishes
Helpful information. My only quibble is with your statement “. . . carbs are bad.” Sez who? Folks trying to sell you their trendy diet. Lots of very healthy diets include carbs. Enjoy your bread!
Hi Mat,
At the time that was published we/I was told by doctor’s and nutritionists that carbs are bad. However today we are all more well informed and no is not necessarily true> There are good and more unhealthy carbs. For me I live my lifestle where everything is in moderation and is well balanced.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Is wheat gluten means wheat flour
Hi Faheema,
No – kind of. Vital wheat gluten is all gluten and very little starch. It’s not technically flour itself, but it’s made from wheat flour that has been hydrated to activate the gluten and then processed to remove everything but that gluten. It’s then dried and ground back into a powder. So think of it like adding more chewiness/pull – (gluten) to your flour. But a little goes a long way! For more info, check out thekitchen as they have a great article on it!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
I believe you hit the nail right on the head I also use one tablespoon of vital wheat gluten to a cup of all-purpose flour I find it works best. I double that if I’m using whole wheat flour.
Thanks Keith! It honestly just depends on the brand of flour as well as the type.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
I believe you hit the nail right on the head I also use one tablespoon of vital wheat gluten to a cup of all-purpose flour I find it works best
I believe there may have been a typo I used one tablespoon for every one cup of all-purpose flour and my cinnamon rolls turned out as hard as door Stoppers I should have done on my instinct and put just one teaspoon per cup of all-purpose flour that would have been perfect so this one tablespoon to one cup ratio if you ask me it’s wrong my cinnamon rolls were ruined! 🙁
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Hi Alba
I actually wrote a note in the recipe and the post. It’s not a typo but what I’m afraid I omitted was some logic and variances. So I want to make a few remarks about this. Not all All Purpose Flour is the same. Even though they are labeled as AP flour, the amount of gluten it has in it can vary from brand to brand. That being the case, the amount of vital wheat gluten can vary from 1 tsp per cup of flour to 3 Tbl per cup of flour. The only consistent advice about converting all-purpose flour to bread flour is that you have to add some wheat gluten. The problem is that no one agrees on an amount. One Yeast company states to use 1 tsp of vital wheat gluten to 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Cook’s Thesaurus recommends 2 tsp per 1 cup of flour. Better Homes and Gardens suggests 1 to 3 tablespoons of gluten per recipe. Why does it vary like this? NOT ALL AP FLOUR IS THE SAME. My advice, start off with 1 tsp, make a test recipe and if that still doesn’t turn out, add more vital wheat gluten.
For me and the AP Flour I use, my ratio is 1 cup to 1 Tbl.
I’m sorry your rolls were sinkers 🙁
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Hello have you used this recipe for (bread flour) to make cinnamon rolls the kind you buy at Cinnabon. Will they come out as they should using that much vital wheat gluten?
Hi Alba,
I’ll be honest I’ve never had a Cinnabon so I can’t say but I have use this to make my own chewy cinnamon rolls or bread dough.
However there are 2 variations when it comes to make cinnamon rolls – bread flour will make them chewy and have that pull like how pizza crust is. They will also be more dense. AP flour will make them more light and airy with not as much pull.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Okay, I’m sold. Now all I need to do is find a store that sells the gluten. Made hummus the other night and it was a hit with roasted garlic and chopped Calamata olives. Great for tostones.
Hi Bob!
Most grocery stores sell this in the Organic baking section. Also you can get it online (it’s cheaper at least I think). http://astore.amazon.com/thekitcwhis-20/detail/B000EDK5LM
I LOOOOOOOOOOVE roasted garlic hummus! Have you ever made roasted cauliflower hummus? I left mine just a tad chunky but you can certainly puree the cauliflower for a more creamy hummus. http://www.thekitchenwhisperer.net/2013/05/04/roasted-cauliflower-hummus/
Best Kitchen Wishes!
★★★★★