The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Which flour is the best?

CharSiu's picture
CharSiu

Which flour is the best?

Hi, I was just wondering what flour you use and why, which brand works the best, and which one works the worst. If you tend to stay away from a brand or have a regular brand, please tell me! And tell me your flour experiences if you can. 

I'm just confused over which flour to use and don't want to waste money. Thanks, guys. 

P.S- Any of you tried Marriages flour before? How did it go? 

Bakingmadtoo's picture
Bakingmadtoo

Are you a UK baker? Marriages flour is excellent, I use it at times. I  mostly use Shipton Mill, as I buy in bulk 25kg sacks for the organic white and also cake flour, but you don't have to buy in bulk sacks. Ken Forkish, Emmanuel Hjiandreou and Richard Bertinet all recommend them in their books, as does Michel Roux in his pastry book. I also use some Bacheldre Mill flour and Claybrooke Mill. The Shipton Mill is the best value, but they are all lovely flours.

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

Must have some interesting choices!

Depends on the type of bread you want to bake and what is available.  

I would ask locally from a baker or bread baking instructor (who's bread you would like to emulate.)  Maybe even purchase flour thru them.  

CharSiu's picture
CharSiu

at the lack of choices here. We don't even have KA flour! Hmm... yes, that's a good idea. Maybe I should ask around at the local bakeries. 

Bakingmadtoo's picture
Bakingmadtoo

I thought it might be the UK as Marriages is one of the best readily available brands here. If you can get hold of that you will be fine.

sawyerc's picture
sawyerc

Actually you can get KA flour from Citysuper but it s so expense 

I buy flour from wholesaler ( 25KG package ) 

The cheapest are from China , Japan flours are most popular and in mid range , Flour from the West are most expensive. I am using Japan flours but really wanna try flour from Eu   

BTW I just "TAOBAO" some french flour from China haha

 

Some bread made with Japan flours

CharSiu's picture
CharSiu

Those are really nice breads you have there. I didn't know you could get KA in citysuper- when I went there I think they were sold out. I have tried using Japanese flours (from the shop 759). Have not tried TaoBao, but I think Japanese flours are great. 

sawyerc's picture
sawyerc

Besides, protein content of flours from 759 are too high for Eu-style breads.

You can find some 11% protein content Japan flours from baking shop.

What breads do u wanna make?

Actually, I will buy flours of 25Kg package from wholesaler and I am finding someone to share the flours. U can contact me if u are interested. It is so much cheaper (30% at least) !

CharSiu's picture
CharSiu

as I already stocked up on flour :). Usually I make sandwich breads which sometimes require a higher protein flour. I have yet to try the Japanese flours in the baking shops. 

Antilope's picture
Antilope

 I live in California and previously put together a list of U.S. wheat flour brands and their protein content. I am also attempting to put together a list of U.K. retail Wheat Flour. The data for this incomplete list is from UK supermarket websites and the protein / gluten data comes from nutritional labels posted on the supermarket websites (usually given as protein grams per 100 grams of flour)

If you have additional information to add, please post it and I will include it in this list.
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----UK Supermarket Wheat Flour----
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-PLAIN FLOUR-
Allinson Nature Friendly Plain Flour 10.0%
Allinson Mix 'n' Bake Plain Flour 10.3%
Allinson Plain White Flour 10%
Andrews Soda Bread Flour 8.8%
Asda Smart Price White Plain Flour 9.4%
Asda Plain Flour 10.3%
Asda Organic Plain Flour 10.3%
Be-Ro Plain Flour 10.2%
Carr's Plain Flour 9.3%
The Co-operative Plain White Flour 9.4%
Doves Farm Organic Fine Plain White Flour 10%
Great Scot Plain Flour 10.2%
Homepride Plain Flour 10.3%
McDougalls Plain Flour 9.5%
Milford Household Flour 10%
Morrisons Plain Flour 9.4%
Neill's Golden Fleece Plain Flour 10%
Odlums Cream Plain Flour 10.8%
Odlums Organic Plain Flour 10.1%
Sainsbury's British Plain Flour 9.4%
Tesco Everyday Value Plain Flour 10.3%
Tesco Organic Plain Flour 10.3%
Waitrose Essential Plain White Flour 10.5%
Waitrose Organic Plain White Flour 11.3%
Waitrose Leckford Estate Plain White Flour 11.8%
Wright's Baking Plain Flour 10.5%
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-STRONG WHITE BREAD FLOUR-
Allinson Strong White Bread Flour 12.1%
Allinson Oatmill White Bread Flour 13.7%
Allinson White Seed & Grain Bread Flour 11.5%
Allinson Bakers' Grade Very Strong White Bread Flour 13.9%
Allinson Premium Bread Flour 13.9%
Asda Strong White Bread Flour 11.5%
Asda Organic White Bread Flour 12.6%
Hovis Super Strong Premium White Bread Flour 12.8%
Hovis Strong White Bread Flour 12.0%
Hovis Granary Bread Flour 14.7%
Marriage's Organic Strong White Flour 12.7%
Marriage's Finest Strong White Flour 13.4%
Odlums Strong White Flour 11%
Sainsbury's Strong White Bread Flour 13.4%
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Very Strong Canadian White Bread Flour 14.8%
Tesco Organic Strong White Flour 12.6%
Tesco Strong White Flour 12.6%
Tesco Finest Bread Flour Very Strong White 14.8%
Waitrose Strong White Bread Flour 12.9%
Waitrose Leckford Estate Strong White Bread Flour 13.6%
Waitrose White Bread Flour 14.9%
Wright's Baking Strong White Bread Flour 11.7%
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-STRONG WHOLEMEAL BREAD FLOUR-
Allinson Premium Wholemeal Very Strong Bread Flour 13.8%
Allinson Country Grain Bread Flour 13.8%
Allinson Seed & Grain Bread Flour 11.8%
Allinson Wholemeal Seed & Grain Bread Flour 14.6%
Doves Farm Organic Strong Wholemeal Bread Flour 12.6%
Marriage's Organic Strong Wholemeal Flour 13.8%
Marriage's 100 Percent Canadian Very Strong Wholemeal Flour 14.2%
Marriage's Organic Country Fayre Malted Brown Flour 14.2%
Morrisons Morrisons Strong Brown Flour 12.6%
Morrisons Strong Wholemeal Flour 12.7%
Odlums Strong Wholemeal Flour 15.3%
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Wholegrain Seeded Bread Flour 14%
Wright's Strong Wholemeal Bread Flour 12.7%
Waitrose Strong Brown Bread Flour 12.7%
Waitrose Organic Malted Grain Bread Flour 13.5%
Waitrose Essential Strong Wholemeal Bread Flour 14%
Waitrose Love Life Seeded & Malted Bread Flour 14.3%
Waitrose Organic Stoneground Wholemeal Bread Flour 14.4%
Waitrose Love Life Seeded Wholemeal Bread Flour 16.3%
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-SAUCE FLOUR-
Easy to use flour for sauces, gravies and thickening. Also for low fat recipes.
Carrs Sauce Flour 9.3%
Waitrose Sauce Flour 8.6%
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-WHOLEMEAL PLAIN FLOUR-
Abbey Stoneground Wholemeal Flour 11.5%
Allinson Seed & Grain White Fine Flour 11.5%
Allinson Wholemeal Plain Flour 11.9%
Carr's Strong Brown Flour 15.1%
Carr's Wholemeal Flour 15.2%
Doves Farm Organic English Wholegrain Einkorn Flour 10.6%
Doves Farm Organic Fine plain English Wholemeal Flour 9.9%
Doves Farm Organic Wholemeal Emmer Flour 11.3%
Doves Farm Organic English Wholegrain Heritage Flour 15.5%
Howards One Way Wholemeal Stoneground Flour 11.5%
Marriage's Organic Light Brown Plain Flour 12.6%
McDougalls Wholemeal Flour 9.9%
Milford Self Raising Flour 10%
Neill's Coarse Wholemeal Flour 10.5%
Odlums Stoneground Coarse Wholemeal 10%
Odlums Organic Wholemeal Flour 12.7%
Tesco Strong Stoneground Wholemeal Flour 13.7%
Waitrose Organic Stoneground Wholemeal Plain Flour 11%
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-SELF RAISING FLOUR---Wheat Flour, Raising Agents (salt is not added to UK self
raising flour)
Allinson Nature Friendly Self-Raising White Flour 9.8%
Allinson Self-Raising Flour Mix 'n' Bake Flour 9.8%
Andrews Self Raising Flour 8.9%
Asda Smart Price White Self Raising Flour 8.9%
Asda Organic Self Raising Flour 9.8%
Asda Self Raising Flour 11%
Be-Ro Self-Raising Flour 9.9%
Carr's Self Raising Flour 9.3%
The Co-operative Self-Raising White Flour 8.9%
Great Scot Self-Raising Flour 9.9%
Homepride Self Raising Flour 9.8%
Homepride Extra Fine Self Raising Flour 9.4%
Marriage's Organic Self Raising White Flour 10.3%
McDougalls Self Raising Flour 9.3%
McDougalls Supreme Sponge Premium Self Raising Flour 8.0%
McDougalls Self Raising Flour 9.9%
Morrisons Savers Self Raising Flour 8.9%
Mortons Self Raising Flour 8.9%
Neill's Self Raising Soda Bread Flour 10.2%
Odlums Self Raising Flour 10.6%
Sainsbury's Basics Self Raising Flour 8.9%
Tesco Self-Raising Flour 9.8%
Tesco Everyday Value Self Raising Flour 9.8%
Tesco Organic Self-Raising Flour 9.8%
Waitrose Organic White Self Raising Flour 10.3%
Waitrose Self-Raising White Flour 10.7%
Waitrose Leckford Estate Self-Raising White Flour 11.8%
Wright's Baking Self Raising Flour 10.7%
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-WHOLEMEAL SELF RAISING FLOUR---Wheat Flour, Raising Agents (salt is not added to
UK self raising flour)
Allinson Wholemeal Self-raising Flour 11.9%
Doves Farm Organic Self Raising Wholemeal Flour 9.8%
Marriage's Organic Light Brown Self Raising Flour 12.5%
Waitrose Organic Brown Self Raising Flour 12.5%
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-PASTA FLOUR
Doves Farm Organic White Speciality Pasta Flour 9.9%
McDougalls ''00" Grade' Premium Plain Flour 11%
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference '00' Grade Pasta Flour with Durum 11.5%
Tesco Ingredients Pasta Flour 13.1%
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-SPELT FLOUR
Doves Farm Organic Wholegrain Spelt Flour 13.3%
Doves Farm Organic Speciality White Spelt Flour 13.8%
Odlums Spelt Plain Flour 9.8%
Sharpham Park Organic Spelt White Flour 11.1%
Sharpham Park Organic Spelt Seeded Flour 12.6%
Waitrose Spelt Flour 14.4%

-OTHER WHEAT FLOUR 

Wright's Baking Sungold Pastry Flour 7.9%

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-VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN-
Bob's Red Mill Vital Wheat Gluten Flour 75%
Claybrooke Mill Vital Wheat Gluten Flour 77%
Nuvale Vital Wheat Gluten Flour 77%
Real Foods Organic Vital Wheat Gluten Flour 78%
Suma Vital Wheat Gluten Flour 76%
Whole Foods Vital Wheat Gluten Flour 80%

CharSiu's picture
CharSiu

Wow, thanks for that incredibly informative list! I'm grateful :)

PetraR's picture
PetraR

I use Sainsbury's Strong White Bread Flour 13.4% and it gives me great Gluten and lovely coloured bread:)