How Does the Baker Control Gluten?

Flour is mostly starch, but its protein or gluten content, not its starch, concerns the baker most. Without gluten proteins to give structure, baked goods would not hold together.

The baker must be able to control the gluten, however. For example, we want French bread to be firm and chewy, which requires much gluten. On the other hand, we want cakes to be tender, which means we want very little gluten development.

Ingredient proportions and mixing methods are determined, in part, by how they affect the development of gluten. The baker has several methods for adjusting gluten development.