May 21, 2007 - 4:09pm
King Arthur - Sir Lancelot Flour
I was at my baking supply house and decided to try this flour instead of the Gold Metal All Trumps or the KA Special.
My question is, have any of you folks used this flour before? And if not have you used Malted Barley Flour?
I'm gonna run it in place of my normal bread flour, for all breads.
Its an Enriched Spring Wheat flour so Im sure it should be good. I was just curious as to what the whole "Malted Barley Flour" addition brought to the table.
TT
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Ah yes -- I've used it to make bagels before. That's some serious high-gluten flour with a protein content of 14.2%. There's NOTHING better for making bagels, but I'd personally be hesitant to make other breads with it, unless you like your crumb extra, extra chewy.
HERE'S a write-up on the flour from the KAF site.
I'll update the starter trial later tonight. Gotta take a little girl to the playground!
I used it in a few recipes ... P.Reinhard (BBA) is refering to it in several formulas. I like to use it for the pizza Neo-Napoletana formula as well - makes a workable dough that you can spin easily to 12-14" diameter. I believe it may also be a good addition to other flours that are weaker in gluten (whole wheat, rye, ...)
Malted Barely four is handy in some places ... enhances the yeast activity and crust colour. However more is not better because the crust could become rubbery.
BROTKUNST
Bagels, Pizza, and I shall mix it with Whole Wheat for some bread trials.
Guess Im just gonna have to go back for the 50 lb. bag of KA Organic Special, oh well, now I'll just have another 50lbs. of flour, I hate that..
AAHHH, ha, ha, haaa (thats my evil laugh)
TT
I have 50# of high gluten flour that I'm working through, and have finally settled on about 25% AP or other flour mixed in. Don't despair! There's more than one way to skin a cat!
Susan
I always use high-gluten for my Bialys (Kossar's recipe from ABAA) it is all about the chewy crumb. This dough stands up on it's own after mixing.
Two wrongs don't make a right. Three lefts make a right
Im not worried at all, I have a chest freezer in my basement that I use just for flours. And right now it is empty, cept' for about 35# of Fine Fancy First flour. But that is bleached and bromated so I do not use it for any of my breads.
I do not know quite how, but I managed to go through about 175lbs. of bread flour in about 2 1/2 months. So I will use this 50# for my bagels and other things the nice folks here suggested uses for.
I am about to head out on a couple service calls, so I will be stopping off to pick up the 50# of KA Special while I am out that way. Having a bunch of flour at the ready is kinda like a cuddly security blanket for me. So no worries on my end. Thanks for the alternate idea though, I do appreciate it.
TT
TT, that's about 4 lbs of baked bread each day. I suppose you have a hungry family or many friends close by ....
BROTKUNST
Brotkunst, yep, Ive been trying a bunch of different breads. Most are o.k., they all are better than store bought. But that really isnt saying much. Im still learning, so they are not as good as some folks here make. But good none the less.
Most of my flour has really gone to bagels. I seem to be always making bagels. My wife takes them to work to give them out to her friends. I give them out when company is over on weekends. I take them to work for friends. Or when my wife is teaching a craft class, there goes another dozen. I can make 3 dozen bagels on a Saturday, and by Sunday, Im preppin another batch for Monday baking. Now most pro's would say thats kid's play. But for me as a home baker, its a bunch.
My breads take the second most amount of flour. And my Cinn. Buns/Pretzels come in last in flour use.
You know I came to this site in the beginning to find out about making breads, since I came into a hefty amount of flours. Little did I know I would become so addicted to it. Oh well, I could be into worse things I suppose.
Oh and I got my other 50 of KA Special while I was out.
And if any of you folks find you are using quite a bit of flour, I HIGHLY recommend looking into baking or restaurant supply houses. I am able to pick up 50# bags for $14.50 each. Thats only 29 cents per pound. Much cheaper than buying the little KA 5lb. bags from the grocery store.
TT
Hi TT, I've been reading about all of your ventures lately with great interest...Your enthusiasm is infectious!
Question for you: where is your baking/food supply house in upstate NY? I have been looking around for one myself that sells large bags of KA flour and have not been too successful. I live in the Catskills/Mid-Hudson Valley...I may try going right to King Arthur in VT next time I visit my sister there.
Howdy neighbor, the supply house I use is in Utica, NY. Here is their website
http://www.avicospice.com/over.htm Not really so great of a site. It mainly shows their spices and such. But they have about 10-15 different types of flour in 50lb. bags, and KA AP in 25lb. bags as well. My local grocery store has 25lb. KA AP for 11.99, this place has it for 5.75. The kicker is they are only 2 miutes drive from each other. And this place is open to general public. Most people dont even know it is there. Its a big, plain, brick building. Do not need a company account to shop there.
If you venture up this way, they are open till 5pm on weekdays. The weekend hours are short, I think they close around noon. They are simply a bulk supply house, spices are their main product, but they have a room dedicated just to paper goods, A very large selection of pizza tools, from cutters to full size peels, wire mesh pizza plates, and bundles of every pizza box size known to man (lots of pizza eaters up here).
If you are looking for tools, equipments, or other baking gadgets. I use NJ Flihans, on Bleeker Street in Utica. Art is the owner/father, Dave is his son and Manager. They are great fellows, they supply equipment to the majority of restaurants/hospitals/colleges here in upstate NY and I have seen their stuff all over the state in college kitchens, nursing homes, etc. They refer all of their Espresso customers to me for their service needs, and I have a very nice relationship with them. They have a store front that is open to the general public as well. They really are great guys. And they are always willing to chat it up with the folks who stop in. Oh, and as a bonus, they are next door to one of the best Italian pastry shops I have ever been in. Cafe Caruso's Pastry Shop, so you can get a great Cannoli, on your way back to your car. (I usually get a dozen, their small, and Im big...They go fast)
Let me know if I could help ya,
TT
Thanks TT, those are great prices and good to know that supply house allows general public access. A lot of the ones I called nearby to me required a business account. Sometimes I head out to the Rome area for work so I will keep this place in mind.
Fortunately, I do have a very good restaurant supply house nearby in Kingston, NY for equipment and gadgets (just not flour), but it would still be fun to check out the one you like in Utica (although that could be dangerous for me as I am a gadget junkie...>>must refrain from buying yet another dough cutter, bucket, or sheetpan!<<)