High Gluten Flour

Gluten is found in barley, rye and triticale, and is used as a leavening agent. It is not soluble in water and is obtained from flour by washing away the starch, which is soluble in water. Gluten binds together strongly and gives the dough elasticity and helps it take shape when baked. High gluten flour is used as an additive with other flours which are low in gluten to give them elasticity and strength. Some people are gluten intolerant, which is a digestive disorder and a hereditary condition. Celiac disease is a disease brought about by gluten intolerance and is commonly mistaken for food poisoning.

Gluten is a combination of long chain proteins gliadin and glutenin. The glutenin molecules are very fluid and bond with each other more strongly as compared to the gliadin molecules. When kneaded, gluten forms an elastic net and helps give the dough its rise and form. The elastic net holds the carbon dioxide bubbles made by yeast and these gas bubbles then make sacks in the dough which expand when heated. These sacks expand until the starch in the dough turns into jelly restraining the gas bubbles. Flour which is treated to remove most of its starch to leave behind more proteins that produce gluten is called high gluten flour. It is very expensive as compared to bread flour and is mostly used to make pizza dough. It is very chewy and therefore preferred to make pizza and bagels. The pizza crust and bagels available in the bakery are very chewy and some people would like to replicate them in their kitchens.

Recipe

It is best to use high gluten flour when making pizzas and bagels, here is a recipe for making a pizza using this flour.

• 1 pound high gluten flour
• 4 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

Keep the high gluten dough in a refrigerator for a full day at 35-40 degrees F. This will make the yeast work long and hard and add flavor to the dough. Remember to take out the dough at least 1-2 hours before rolling it. Before putting it in a pan make some holes with a fork to prevent the formation of air pockets. Add the toppings and put it in the pan to enjoy a good pizza. The recipes are quite popular, because they make the finished product more chewy and tasty. Flour milled from hard red spring wheat has between 12-14 % protein while the carb count ranges from 50-55 gm per cup. Some of the foods that contain gluten are barley, rye, wheat, oat, etc. Some gluten-free foods are brown rice, buckwheat, almond flour, bean flour, etc.

Due to its elasticity and the ability to give a rise to baked products, high gluten flour has many applications in baking. Gluten is a commodity in its own right as a food ingredient which is less expensive than milk or soy proteins. This source of protein also finds its way in many diet programs and health supplements.