Is there a better bread flour than Francine?

[Ian]

I've browsed the old threads without finding the answer (so apologies if it's there and I've overlooked it).

Now we have a kitchen, I've started making bread by hand. The Francine multi-cereal was not bad, but the ordinary white (pain) was a disappointment. More grey than white - seemed to have an element of wholemeal about it?

I love my baguette and croissants in the morning, but I would like to able to make some others, just for the variety - for example, I miss my potato and spring onion bread.

 Is it possible to buy strong white flour, in France?

Thanks

[Clair]

Francine do a white bread flour.

I make bread at home and use a variety of flours, including a locally milled flour which I buy from GammVert where I can also get spelt, rye, buckwheat and chestnut flours.

[Patf]

I've used the Francine bread flours, but prefer english/canadian flour which I buy from an english food stall in the market.

The problem with french flour is that it's gluten content is low, so they add various things to improve it. Bread made from it tends to dry out quickly.

I would like to try spelt flour, Clair. I had some bread made with it recently and it was delicious, though a bit "cakelike".

[Clair]

I make a very quick and easy spelt bread based on a recipe I read in a newspaper a few years ago. Add nuts and/or dried fruit to ring the changes.

[quote]Three minute spelt bread

With spelt there is no need to leave the dough to rise. This really takes three minutes to prepare.

• 500g spelt flour
• 10g fast-acting dried yeast
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 50g sunflower seeds (optional)

• 50g sesame seeds (optional)

• 50g linseeds (optional)

• 500ml warm water

Preheat

the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Combine all the ingredients, adding the

water last. Mix well and turn the dough into a greased loaf tin. Put

straight into the oven and bake for an hour. Remove the loaf, turn it

out of the tin and then return it to the oven without the tin for a

further 5-10 minutes.[/quote]

[Ian]

[quote user="Patf"]

I've used the Francine bread flours, but prefer english/canadian flour which I buy from an english food stall in the market.

The problem with french flour is that it's gluten content is low, so they add various things to improve it. Bread made from it tends to dry out quickly.

I would like to try spelt flour, Clair. I had some bread made with it recently and it was delicious, though a bit "cakelike".

[/quote]

Yes, it's that type of strong white flour I'm looking for. We don't have english (or even British) food stalls hereabouts, so I'll try Gamme Vert.

Thanks