What does gluten in flour do?
Bread flour does not contain large amounts of protein (approx. between 10.5 – 13%) but it is very important for the bread making process. When flour is mixed with water, the gluten swells to form a continuous network of fine strands. This network forms the structure of bread dough and makes it elastic and extensible.
What is the role of gluten?
Gluten is a protein naturally found in some grains including wheat, barley, and rye. It acts like a binder, holding food together and adding a “stretchy” quality—think of a pizza maker tossing and stretching out a ball of dough. Without gluten, the dough would rip easily.
Why do they add gluten to bread?
Vital Wheat Gluten is added to breads and other baked goods because it helps “provide the strength and elasticity necessary to endure the often brutal process of commercial mixing” (The New Yorker) Plus it helps produce a fluffy, light textured loaf of bread and has become somewhat of a crutch in the baking industry.
How does gluten impact dough and bread?
The gluten is formed during kneading of the bread dough. Kneading causes the gluten strands to get stronger and longer. However, if too much gluten is formed then the bread dough does not stretch so easily. This will cause the bread to become tough and chewy.
How do you get gluten out of flour?
Through a process called centrifugation the major constituents of the flour are separated. The starch and other constituents dissolve, but the gluten, which is not water soluble, does not. Once starch and gluten are separated by centrifugation, the gluten is washed thoroughly and dried.
What can dissolve gluten?
Gluten is poorly soluble in water, but the fraction known as ‘gliadin’ is soluble in aqueous alcohol. Two thirds of gluten protein is in the form of glutenins, which are insoluble in ethyl alcohol but soluble in a mixture of ethanoic acid, urea, and cetrimide.
What is plain gluten-free flour made of?
Ingredients: flour blend (rice, potato, tapioca, maize, buckwheat). Storage: to keep your flour at its best, roll down the top after use and store in a cool dry place. Packaging material: paper.