Bread Flour

The best place to buy this and that? Recommend shops and share your good and bad experiences.

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vyvyan
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Bread Flour

Post by vyvyan »

At present I seem unable to find Multi-Cereal Flour or Complet in the supermarkets. Does anyone know of a mill where I might be able to buy flour for bread.
Many thanks.
martyn94
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Post by martyn94 »

I asked something like this years ago. If you find it, let us all know.
Lanark Lass
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Post by Lanark Lass »

Have found these flours in Intermarche in St Andre and Argeles so presumably other branches have them too
martyn94
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Post by martyn94 »

Lanark Lass wrote:Have found these flours in Intermarche in St Andre and Argeles so presumably other branches have them too
In my experience, they tend to be mixes, including flour improvers (aka ascorbic acid, aka vitamin C) and sometimes dried yeast. What I have never seen (except on a market stall in Normandy) is straightforward strong flour.
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Post by Lanark Lass »

Husband likes to make English style bread and these flours work very well. We buy baguettes too but also partial to brown bread - and toast. Baguette no use for these.
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EILEEN
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bread flour.

Post by EILEEN »

the flour used for bread making is called sometimes "No. 55" The white flour can be bought in most supermarkets but I have not seen the strong cereal too often. Our boulangeries make good cereal breads so do not look to buy flour too often!
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Post by Lanark Lass »

As I said we use these flours easily available in Intermarche to make English style bread which is tasty and keeps longer than boulangerie bread. We make 2 at a time so can freeze one
Boulangerie bread is fine but English bread has more texture and easy to do in machine. I do buy boulangerie bread but it is nice to be able to vary it with the home made
Kit
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Bread Flour

Post by Kit »

You already know you need strong flour to make decent bread. I have found that 'strong' tends to reflect the amount of protein in the flour. The strongest I've yet been able to find in either France or Spain is Auchan's own brand Pain Brioche which contains 15.6g of protein per 100g of flour.

A friend who is an enthusiastic baker of home-made bread has recommended buying flour from the windmill in Cucugnan but I haven't tried it myself yet. If you want check it on the internet, look for Moulin d'Omer Cucugnan and also see www.farinesdemeule.com. Cucugnan is just over the departmental border in Aude but is a pretty drive with two Cathar castles nearby for a day out!
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russell
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Re: Bread Flour

Post by russell »

Kit wrote:I have found that 'strong' tends to reflect the amount of protein in the flour.
It would do. Strong flour is flour with a high gluten content and gluten is a blend of proteins. It makes the dough elastic and helps it to retain the carbon dioxide given off by the yeast.

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Post by Lanark Lass »

Add Francine multicereales for brown bread
Sus
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Re: Bread Flour

Post by Sus »

Kit wrote:You already know you need strong flour to make decent bread. I have found that 'strong' tends to reflect the amount of protein in the flour. The strongest I've yet been able to find in either France or Spain is Auchan's own brand Pain Brioche which contains 15.6g of protein per 100g of flour.

A friend who is an enthusiastic baker of home-made bread has recommended buying flour from the windmill in Cucugnan but I haven't tried it myself yet. If you want check it on the internet, look for Moulin d'Omer Cucugnan and also see www.farinesdemeule.com. Cucugnan is just over the departmental border in Aude but is a pretty drive with two Cathar castles nearby for a day out!
Thanks so much for posting this info. I also make bread and have never been able to find a reliable supply, ended up ordering bulk grain directly from the UK, which is crazy but was cheaper than buying in France. This looks like a great resource and as you say it makes a nice day trip as well.
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