Best Flour For Soft Buns?

If you were to look at the nutrition labels on both bags of flour you would find that bread flour has a higher protein content.  In baking, when you hear the word protein you should automatically think "GLUTEN!"

If bread flour has a higher protein content then naturally the gluten complex that it forms is stronger, therefore creating a bread that is heavier and more dense than what All-Purpose flour will give you.  This does not mean, however, that All-Purpose flour does not result in a well developed gluten complex because it works just as well.

Personally, I would use AP flour for the cinnamon rolls because I like my cinnamon rolls to be a bit lighter but I have seen several recipes for cinnamon rolls that use bread flour. It's just a matter of preference.

For the dinner rolls it's again a matter of preference.  If you like a small dense roll then bread flour is probably the way to go.  If you like lighter, fluffier roll then I would probably go with AP flour.

Often the two can be substituted for one another, however.

I agree with the advice you have already received. A couple other thoughts: First, I have seen several recipes for soft rolls, such as cinnamon rolls, that include some potato starch.

Second, be aware that if you are making a highly enriched dough, that is, one with lots of fat (Think brioche), you may want to shift to a higher gluten flour and also osmotolerant yeast.

David

Please note the "if" in that sentence. It applies to recipes with high fat content (40 or 50+%)

Sorry, I don't have a guideline for potato products as a bread ingredient. I use it very, very rarely and, then, it's not to make the bread lighter but for flavor, primarily.

David

When I make soft buns I use AP flour , but there is also the Tangzhong method which will give you very soft and fluffy rolls/ bread.

The first link is how she explains in what ratio of flour and water tangzhong is made, the second link shows how she makes a bread using tangzhong.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNEYozbdP4Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mvPIMcS7sQ

I have not yet used tangzhong but will do soon.

In order to make soft,fluffy bread, you need a certain amount of gluten in the flour, adequate liquid/ water to hydrate the gluten and the starch and adequate kneading time. But also important is that how you work the dough will determine if the loaf comes out soft and feathery or soft and chewy.  No matter which flour you use, the fluffiest bread is made by kneading the dough to a windowpane. The following post explains windowpane pretty well. To overknead to the point it dissolves into a puddle is almost impossible by hand.

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/23061/extremely-sourdough-soft-sandwich-bread-most-shreddble-soft-velvety-ever

And then txfarmer wrote up the water roux method:

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/23662/sourdough-hokkaido-milk-loaf-classic-shreddable-soft-bread

So which flour to use? It depends on the outcome you want.

Most brand name AP flours have sufficient gluten to make a great loaf of bread. I prefer to use a brand name AP flour and sometimes even add either a little cake flour, potato starch or corn starch. But with less gluten, I have to pay attention to making sure I hydrate and then knead to a windowpane. Being a bit more fragile, this loaf will also tend to overproof easily so I don't raise this type to double on the final proof-maybe 3/4.

Many recipes call for bread flour. That works, also, but since there is more gluten present, the dough feels a bit more substantial (which feels a little rubbery to me). It makes it feel like the dough develops so often people don't knead to windowpane.The bread may raise well but it is a little tougher than feathery, in my opinion.

So try a brand name, unbleached AP flour,make sure it has sufficient liquid, knead to windowpane (easier to do before adding salt and fat) and see how it turns out. Then do the same recipe and same kneading to windowpane using bread flour and see which one you like better.

Have delicious fun!

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