Which Bread Flour?

[thesunflowergal]

I am trying to reduce our cost even more, and as much as I would love to use Organic flour I just can not afford it. I managed to pick up some Allingsons with grains in it for 35p, so that made a very resonable priced loaf.
I am going to try and use normal plain flour, but does anyone else have any ideas please. I am making a large loaf every other day at the moment.

Thanks Nikki

[naomij]

This is something I have been thinking about too.

The local supermarket own brand is nearly a quid I think, ideally though I'd rather use something either organic or locally produced. Actually the locally produced thing seems more important to me. I noticed our local health food shop sells bread flour in bulk, it must be about 5 lbs, and works out about supermarket prices, might be worth checking out if there's something like that near you?

Also a friend and I are considering bulk buying together, thus splitting the cost further. I also just foudn out the farm our veg box comes from would deliver biodynamic bread flour to me too! And I think the extra expense might be worth the convenience.

I think you might find plain non-bread flour is not as good, but then I am very new to breadmaking so maybe others will have better advice. But it might be worth asking around to see what other options there are. Bulk buying seems to be the way to go if you can manage it.

[JillStephens7]

What a good idea. I go through mountains of flour and have been meaning to get round to finding out about buying in bigger quantities, so thanks for the reminder.

[Merry]

I think you need strong plain flour for bread making.
The ordinary plain flour doesn`t have sufficient gluten to support the rising.

[Shirley]

Bulk buying isn't always cheaper - we used to get organic flour in a 25kg bag from suma wholefoods but they said they couldn't compete with the likes of T***o on price.

[JulieSherris]

I think you need strong plain flour for bread making.
The ordinary plain flour doesn`t have sufficient gluten to support the rising.

Merry, we've already disproved this theory for the daily bread... as long as it's left to rise very very slowly & left at its own pace, ordinary run-of-the-mill plain/household/cheapo flour is absolutely fine to use & gives some wonderful breads & rolls

[grahamhobbs]

Julie is right, white plain flour is fine for breadmaking if given long fermentation (rising). Just think that baguettes in France are essentially made with the equivalent of plain flour.

However I haven't tried it with wholemeal plain flour, that might be too difficult.

Personally I can't eat white bread everyday (what's the point, there's no goodness in it), eating it only occasionally as a change, preferring to eat wholemeal or rye breads everyday. Unfortunately these are not available at knock down prices, although going direct to the miller and buying small sacks helps, but for me, health is more important in such a mainstay of our diet. (Eliminate processed foods and eat healthy bread and veg, a lot cheaper and healthier).

[Merry]

Well, I always say I learn something every time I log in!
I`ll have a go at ordinary plain flour.

[Green Aura]

A while ago I posted a recipe for 5 minute bread - fantastic stuff. No effort required in making it and the recipe insists you use ordinary flour (something to do with protein levels - but frankly I couldn't care less ). I mae a wholemeal version and add semolina to up the protein content.

Give me a shout if you'd like the recipe - or just google it. There are several You Tube tutorials.

[JulieSherris]

Well, I always say I learn something every time I log in!
I`ll have a go at ordinary plain flour.

Merry, all is explained here.....
http://www.selfsufficientish.com/forum/ ... 28&t=18645

[Bunty of the Buns]

Plain flour doesn't have the level of glutanin that strong flour has, and that's the stuff which helps it to hold its shape. (As opposed to glyanin which makes it stretch - hoping I've got those two the right way round!!) You might find that you can certainly use a reasonable proportion of plain four, but perhaps mix a little strong in as well just to give it a hand - and I would strongly recommend it is Canadian as their wheat has a much higher proportion of it that European wheat.

The plain flour will affect the shape of loaf you can make - you might find you get better results with a flatter loaf. There's a good reason why the french tend to do sticks and flat loaves - the flour doesn't really hold itself up in a tin.

Rolls should certainly be ok, just make sure you knead it really really well. Good luck. :o)

[JulieSherris]

Bunty, we understand the gluten factor of the flours, but I have to disagree with you on the height of the loaves..... my loaf made yesterday is a little over 9ins high - as they are usually. Like we've stated before, if you follow the slow rise method, there's nothing wrong in using normal daily flour - it takes one extra item off the shopping list & also takes the voodoo out of bread making!

[whitesmar]

Whilst I may be a bit late with this reply, I can thoroughly recommend a shop for bread flour if you are in Derbyshire/Cheshire/N Staffs/ S Lancs/S Yorks.

It's Caudwell's Mill and can be found at Rowsley, Nr Matlock, Derbys, DE4 2EB.

Their list of normally stocked bread flours runs to seven English flours and a couple of French ones, and they do them in weights from about 1½kg up to 6kg (roughly a stone). The last time I was there, I came away with 3st - which is the weight I've lost since taking more interest in what I eat.

My all-time fave is their Strong White - a traditional blend, mostly Canadian flour. A small warning: when this says "strong", it REALLY means it!!! It may be too strong for some bread machines, though as I use a (damn good) mixer, I'm not sure. They also do a Malted Flake (strong and v tasty) and 8 Grain - not quite as strong as the previous two, but incredibly tasty.

I'm working my way through the rest! (They also do other types of flour - French, pastry etc.)

I'm happy to confirm I have no connections with the shop except as a paying customer - I simply believe that excellence should be rewarded.

[snapdragon]

Lidl have bread flour at 50p a kilo bag if thats any use to you british wheat too and it makes a good loaf (although it's white so I add seeds / bran or half and half it with wholemeal)

slow rise is what I do too - errm and the bread

[indy]

I am also a fan of the Lidls flour, it works very well and the fact that it is british flour really does it for me!! I add porridge oats or bran for a little roughage.