January 14, 2023 - 11:19am
Flour for bread
I am a new bread baker. My Tartine Bread cookbook says to use white and whole wheat flour. Does this mean white whole wheat or all purpose flour? I read that all purpose flour has more protein. Please comment.
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The term white flour is often used for AP or Bread flour.
In his first Tartine book, Chad Robertson mixed unsifted whole wheat flour with bread flour and wheat germ to simulate a flour that he used when learning the trade in France. I had an opportunity to take a workshop with Chad last year and he no longer does this in his bakery, although it works fine. He now uses a high extraction flour from Cairnspring Mills called Trailblazer.” It is an 85% extraction of a hard red wheat variety called yecora rojo, and the percentage refers to the ratio of wheat remaining after milling. Most of what is removed is the bran, and the germ is retained so no need to add it back. I have also used this high extraction flour from Central Milling with excellent results.
If you are just beginning to bake bread, stick with the book and teach yourself the techniques, which are the real key to this bread rather than the flour. They will take a bit of time to master. Good luck.
-Brad