All purpose flour It may seem like a blank canvas, but it can be an effective flavor player. You just have to do one thing first: toast it!
When toasted, it takes on a rich aroma and a very dark flavor, expanding the dough to dimensions you didn’t think possible. It has an almost campfire-kissing quality to it that’s enough to make you ask “what is This?!” when you try it at Baked Good.
“Roasting all-purpose flour brings nutty, caramel notes to an ingredient that’s usually mild and neutral,” says recipe development and test kitchen manager Sarah Gimple. “It opens up a huge array of flavors — think of the difference between raw nuts and toasted nuts, or the aroma of raw rice versus toasted rice.”
Sarah used this trick in her new. Toasted Dough Shortbread. The recipe is intentionally minimal so that the flavor of the toasted dough can shine against the background of butter and sugar, which is complemented by some toasted pecans. “I made one batch of cookies with unroasted flour, and another with toasted flour, and we tasted both side by side. It confirmed that the toasted flour really made a difference in terms of taste and texture. Toast Cookies made with flour not only have more complexity, but they are also crumbly and dissolve quickly when eaten – a more ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ texture not about Toasting the flour depletes some of its proteins, so it creates less gluten when mixed into the dough. As a result, the cookies take on a sandier, softer texture.
Photography by Rick Holbrook; Caitlin Wayne’s Food Style
This effect on protein means that toasted flour cannot automatically be substituted into any recipe, as it behaves differently from unroasted flour and can have a profound effect on the texture of the baked good. But if you’re looking to try toasted flour in more bakes, turn to Claire’s Ceftz. Triple Baked Rye Cookieswhich includes both toasted rye flour and toasted all-purpose flour. Already boasting a nutty flavor, rye flour in particular is enhanced by a stint in the oven. Like Sarah’s Toasted Flour Shortbread, toasted flour adds an extra layer of caramelly, buttery flavor (which takes rye flour by the wow factor). wow) and also inhibits gluten formation by affecting the starch and gluten molecules in wheat flour, further promoting softness.
Desert Person photo by Claire Seiftz
There’s also our Tourte Au Siegle recipe by King Arthur The Big Book of Bread, A classic French bread that uses toasted rye flour. “It is like eating a piece of bread that is not toasted, [toasting] increases the nutrition,” says recipe creator Martin Philip. “It increases the crunch, it brings out the sweetness, it increases those qualities of the dough.” If you want to expand your skills and put this technique into practice, If you want to see the shape, then this recipe is one of those breads that our The Big Book of Bread’s Companion On-Demand Class.
Ultimately, toasting dough is an easy way to add color and dimension to an often-overlooked ingredient. As Sarah says: “If white dough is always dressed in neutrals, the moment it’s toasted is the moment the colorful wardrobe is finally pulled out.”
cover photo (Toasted Dough Shortbread) by Rick Holbrook; Caitlin Wayne’s Food Style.