Dash

[sandra4444]

Spent a few weeks perfecting my home made bread, and its now perfect!!
The downside is Aldi and lidl are not getting the strong bread flour anymore. But I must admit I can't for the life of me see how they managed to sell it for 59p for a 1.5 kilo bag.

Looks like I've now got to pay up. Thanks Putin.

[jno]

hard times are coming and you knead the dough...

[choux]

Stop being a pain, jno!

I can buy strong bread flour from the local mill not a mile from me.

[sandra4444]

^^:))))

[sandra4444]

18.36 that's handy.

[Tilly2]

Any of these fit the bill, Sandra?

[Tilly2]

Oops!


https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=strong+bread+flours&i=grocery&crid=3FOLRAWY47YCW&sprefix=strong+bread+flours%2Cgrocery%2C99&ref=nb_sb_noss

[sandra4444]

Thanks for the links Tilly There's still flour to buy but not at the price I've been paying. ;)))

[Tilly2]

Ah! Righto, Sandra.

[sandra4444]

I enjoy making it very much so, but if the flour is going to keep going up in price plus the high cost of having the oven on, it may end up false economy.

[Iamcazzy]

I can't offer an explanation for the lack of availability of the flour or the price Sandra, but I'd love to know your recipe. My bread making skills are mediocre at best so please share!

[Canary42]

Useful link thanks Tilly.

I get mine here at about £2 per kilo, depending on
how much you buy ---> https://www.buywholefoodsonline.co.uk/search?search=strong%20flour

You can't beat home-made bread - yum yum.

[theprof]

The basis for bread flour prices is a complex subject but I'll try to explain.
The major flour millers in the UK have kept the price of flour high for many years. Flour from British wheat has been at a premium for many years as has flour from "hard" wheat such as that imported from Canada to make some UK strong flour. The crisis in the Ukraine has has a massive effect on flour prices as wheat flour from Eastern Europe has always been reasonably priced and has been used to manufacture everything from 50p loaves in supermarkets to the more premium priced loaves.
The major flour millers in the UK claim that they use only British grown wheat and the costs involved are higher than that from imported wheat. The wheat varieties are also said to be better and thus more expensive, than wheat grown elsewhere. This is reflected in the price you pay for their flour. To be honest, they are being economical with the truth. Bulk purchasers who get their wheat from these same major millers such as your local bakery, pay a fraction per kilo of the price that you pay even after taking necessary supermarket profit into account.
There are millers in the UK who use the best wheat to make their flour and soil-association certified organic flour is also available. These include Shipton Mill and Marriages amongst others and good quality bread flour is still available on these and other websites. They tend to supply in 16kg bags, I think. Give them a try as I don't think you'll look back.

[theprof]

If you're having problems obtaining strong bread flour, all you need to do is to buy a 500g pack of "vital wheat gluten" from a Holland and Barrett store. Just add 5% of the powder to ordinary plain flour and mix well to turn it into what is essentially "Strong White Flour". A bag is of the gluten is currently £2.49 in H&B and will last ages. 25g of the gluten powder in 500g of plain flour will do the trick and supermarket plain flour remains abundant and cheap.
I'm told there are some inferior types of wheat gluten on the Internet which are of very poor quality so stay clear of them. You'll save a fortune using this method as the difference between plain flour and strong flour is all down to the gluten content as far as baking is concerned.

[sandra4444]

Brilliant info.many thanks for taking time to post this. Had no idea it was the gluten that made the difference between the two.

[rayzorless]

I always use Aldis dried yeast too I find the dough rises much better than Allinsons

[sandra4444]

I do also.

[Smowball]

What is your recipe for your bread Sandra?