How Flour Protein Content Affects Bread Dough

There are two proteins contained in flour that when water is added combine to form gluten. They are called glutenin and gliadin. It is the balance between the two that gives bread dough its characteristic properties. Glutenin gives bread dough its elasticity – the ability to resist stretching. Gliadin gives bread dough its extensibility – the ability to be stretched without easily tearing. So, one is elastic, but not stretchy and the other is stretchy without being elastic.

Combined they give us the ability to handle and shape breads that are strong and can hold their shape while at the same time being easily manipulated into that shape.

When it comes to wheat flour generally more protein means more or stronger gluten. But there are other properties that come with high protein content. Higher protein flour can absorb more water, it can make the dough more cohesive, stronger, and be able to gain more volume due to the gluten matrix holding more carbon dioxide.

There are many types of flour available, some of them have very specific uses while others can be used in various applications. These applications are determined largely by the protein content of the flour.

Since high protein (strong) flour makes for stronger gluten, it is most suited for breadmaking as it can trap carbon dioxide inside the dough and help it rise more vertically instead of spreading out sideways. The resulting loaf has a larger volume, more open crumb, and chewy texture. It can absorb far more water letting us make loaves with higher hydration. It also is more resistant to enrichment with fats and sweeteners as after the addition of such ingredients it is possible to bring the dough together for full gluten development.

Low protein flour on the other hand creates weaker gluten which is not able to hold carbon dioxide that well, so if used in breadmaking would produce a loaf that is rather flat and more cake-like. This kind of flour is great for light sponges, biscuits, cookies, scones, chemically leavened (soda) breads, etc. The production of such baked goods often includes the addition of eggs, butter, oil, sugar, and other enrichments. Although, in this case they are added for the purpose of even further inhibiting the gluten formation so that the resulting sponge or dough would be even less chewy and lighter.

There are of course exceptions, and you can certainly make bread with low protein flour and cake with high protein flour if you want. Some bakers love using low protein flour for breadmaking as it makes the dough more extensible and able to expand more when baking. This is most suited for lower hydration bread dough since low protein flour can not absorb water as effectively.

📖 Read more ➡️ https://www.chainbaker.com/protein-co...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
🥨 To learn more about bread making click here ⤵️
Principles of Baking http://bit.ly/principles-of-baking
The Steps of Baking http://bit.ly/steps-of-baking
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
🔪 Find all the things I use here ⤵️
🇺🇸 https://www.amazon.com/shop/ChainBaker
🇬🇧 https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/ChainBaker
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
🌾 If you would like to support my work click here ⤵️
https://www.ko-fi.com/chainbaker
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
🍞 Share your bread pictures here ⤵️
https://www.flickr.com/groups/chainba...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#Bread #Baking #ChainBaker
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclosure
I participate in the Amazon Influencer Program which will earn commissions from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.