The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Extra fancy durum flour

Yippee's picture
Yippee

Extra fancy durum flour

Hi, all, 

How's the strength of fancy durum flour compared to AP or bread flour?  Anything to pay attention to in handling and fermentation when it's the only flour used in the dough?

I was planning to make horseradish cream to use in the dough, but I bought a bunch of radishes, thinking that it's horseradish.  What is the best alternative for horseradish in this case?

Thanks,

Yippee

idaveindy's picture
idaveindy

If you already have a durum recipe, that's great.  if not, try to find a 100% durum recipe.

I think I've seen a couple here on TFL. Sometimes called Altamura, and maybe Pugliese, or Apulia.

Like regular wheat, durum can be refined branless flour (endosperm only), or it can be whole grain, or somewhere in between ("high extraction"). 

"Extra Fancy" usually means refined/branless.  It will be yellow since the durum endosperm is yellow.

Like spelt, the protein in durum is not as good at building gluten as regular hard white or hard red wheat (trtiticum aestivum) is.

That means that you need to find the "sweet spots" for hydration and kneading/gluten-development -- not too much, not too little.

Semolina is also durum, and is branless, just ground coarser.

If you don't seem to find the  sweet spots for durum hydration/kneading for loaf breads, durum still makes excellent flat breads, tortillas, chapatis, focaccia, and pizza crust.  I've gone through at least 30 pounds of durum from Indian grocery stores.

Yippee's picture
Yippee

I do have a 100% durum recipe, and I hope it is as precise and reliable as Rus's because I've never made a 100% durum bread! Wish me luck!

To answer my second question, I found out that wasabi comes from a plant that's closely related to horseradish, and I have wasabi powder at home! Now the question is how much should I use?!

Thanks for your help.

Yippee