Basic Ingredients

Flour is one of those ingredients most people don’t think twice about—until starting to bake something from scratch. Suddenly, the type matters. When encountering bread flour and all-purpose flour, it’s natural to wonder which one to use. The truth is, the two aren’t the same. And when baking bread, the difference can affect how the final loaf turns out. What Makes Bread Flour Different? Bread flour has a higher protein content usually between 12–14% , compared to all-purpose flour’s 9–11% . That extra protein plays a big role in forming gluten, which is what gives bread its chewiness and structure. If you’re baking something that needs to rise well and hold its shape like sourdough, baguettes, or pizza dough bread flour gives you the strength and stretch you need in the dough. It helps the dough trap air and maintain its form during baking, giving you a taller, chewier, and more defined result. This is especially helpful for beginners trying to avoid flat loaves or dense centers....