Flour for Bread

Appears in

By Rose Levy Beranbaum

Published 2014

  • About
Bread flour and unbleached all-purpose flour have higher protein contents than bleached all-purpose flour, and as such are better for making many types of bread. The gluten-forming proteins in flour connect when liquid is added to form gluten, which creates the structure and shape of the bread, and also its chewy texture. Higher protein also results in more browning. Gold Medal bread flour and Heckers flour have about 12 percent protein, which offers the lightest crumb and the ideal structure. Most other bread flours are higher in protein, so to approximate the right amount, use half bread flour and half unbleached all-purpose flour.