Bread flour, is it the same as all purpose flour??

[HummusDip]

I have some normal organic all purpose flour. White, but not bleached white. Is that ok for bread recipes for my bread machine? Or do I need "bread flour"?

[Chris3jam]

Regular flour is not the same. The protein is higher in the bread flour. You can use "regular" flour, but it won't be as good.

[ThreeKids]

I can just tell you the difference. Bread flour has more protein so it has more potential to form a strong baked item. All purpose flour is a medium amount of protein. I think the low one is some kind of pastry flour. I say give it a try. What do you have to lose?

[Lady TS]

I add gluten to all-purpose flour when I don't have bread flour. I think it's like a teaspoon of gluten per cup of flour or a little less.

[Singingmom]

I bake bread with a combination of unbleached all purpose and whole wheat all the time. I tend to forget about bread flour. :shrug3 It turns out very well for me.

[ViolaMum]

Bread flour will also give you a chewier texture. Regular sandwich breads and the like turn out just fine with ap flour. For artisan-style loaves and specialty things like focaccia and bagels I use bread flour.

Adding gluten is a good tip, too. I can buy it in a box (Vital Wheat Gluten) at Whole Foods. It's a great addition to regular whole wheat flour breads, too.

[Raspberries]

I bake bread with a combination of unbleached all purpose and whole wheat all the time. I tend to forget about bread flour. :shrug3 It turns out very well for me.


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