The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

AP vs bread flour

RhondaW's picture
RhondaW

AP vs bread flour

White bread recipe calls for AP flour. Can I substitute bread flour? Any changes to the recipe?

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

flour will be a bit more thirsty I up the hydration 2%.  But I have to admit I take recipes the other way subbing AP for bread flour.  With my AP....... bread flour is an overkill for bread and the crumb isn't as good.  But for Higher % whole grain breads, 50% or over,  I like the bread flour.

bboop's picture
bboop

Dabrownman, you have the best comments. Thanks for clarifying this.

 

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

I used to mix store brand 10% AP and Bread flour 50/50 or add VWG to the store AP to get it up to 11.5 or so.  All of them work.  If I'm using a bunch of no gluten flour like rye, quinoa, oat buckwheat in the mix, then I might use High Gluten flour to balance things out.  I just don't like the texture of the crumb for bread when too high a gluten flour is used - its not bagels or pizza:-)  Baguettes are made with the lowest protein AP flour you can find.