August 20, 2014 - 6:42am
Patent flour versus bread flour
I have previously used only high gluten bread flour for my bread and pizza baking. My source has switched from the bread flour to patent flour. From various sources i understand there are multiple grades of patent flour. MY QUESTION IS will the unbleached unenriched patent flour provide me with similar texture in breads as the bread flour does?
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High gluten flour is actually quite strong for most breads so you'll need to check the specs on the new flour to see how it will compare. My first guess is it will produce better bread but you may need to make adjustments if it is weaker source of wheat.
Josh
I used to purchase King Arthur "Special" flour years ago in 50 lb. bags at a local bakery supply wholesaler. It is a "short" patent flour with a high protein level. It is also somewhat yellowish in color due to the high carotene content. You can expect similar results from a good patent flour and a high quality bread flour, with the patent flour probably edging out the bread flour in most cases.
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/professional/flours.html
There is no way to know until you actually try to bake with it.
Patent flour is a miller's term, not baker's term. Patent can be milled from any kind of wheat - soft or hard or in between, it mostly means "refined flour", 'white flour' with low to moderate ash content.
So, straight flour, patent flours, clear flours, and distinctions within these groups are flour grades. Milling grades. Extraction.
But bread flour, pastry flour, cake flour, cookie flour are flour types, they refer to flour destination in baking. Each flour type can be milled by request as straight flour or patent, or clear, depending on what bakers ask from miller and what consumers ask from bakers - whole grain cookies and breads, or wheaten, or pure white, etc.
Bread flour is a baker's term. It can be white or whole wheat or in between, bleached or unbleached, enriched or not, high or low protein, but it will always give you bread, leavened with yeast or sourdough microorganisms.
This might help, it's from the textbook Baking Science and Technology, 2009
Good Afternoon
Is Patent Flour free of LTP?