The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

why add pastry flour to dough?

liming's picture
liming

why add pastry flour to dough?

hi,

          I've always had this idea that higher gluten is always better and so am confused when I saw receipts that add low gluten pastry flour to high gluten flour. And I'm very surprised that these receipts often produced very good quality bread.

          So my questions are: 

           1) why should we add low protein flour to dough?

           2) what's the upper limit for the proportion of the low protein flour? 

           3) when should we add low protein flour?

thanks!

Liming

hanseata's picture
hanseata

I use flour mixes containing a portion of low-protein pastry or Italian 00 flour for some European breads and rolls that are supposed to have a somewhat soft, not chewy crumb, like the Kürbiskernbrot - Pumpkin Seed Mini Bread from Tyrol: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/19083/tiroler-kuerbiskernbrot-tyrolean-pumpkin-seed-mini-breads

Otherwise, using a blend of high gluten bread flour and pastry flour - I can only assume that you want to achieve a medium protein flour. US wheat flour has significantly more gluten content than European flours, even American AP.

Karin