What is Gluten and Why Does it Matter?
by Dennis R. Weaver
Gluten is a substance made up of the proteins
found in wheat flour that gives bread its structure,
strength, and texture. Without these marvelous
little proteins, bread would not be bread. It
also explains why it is so hard to make bread
from rice, potato, or oat flour and why wheat
flour has to be added to rye flour to make bread—only
wheat has enough protein. The gluten makes the
bread.
Gluten is developed in the dough when the proteins
absorb water and are pulled and stretched in
the kneading process. As the proteins are worked,
they become long, flexible strands. As the yeast
produces gases in the dough, mostly carbon dioxide,
these strands trap the gas bubbles and the dough
expands. When we put the bread in the oven,
the gluten strands coagulate or solidify much
as the protein in eggs solidifies as the egg
cooks.
How is it that we can use flour to make both
a tender cake and firm chewy French bread? The
gluten makes the difference. In a cake, we want
little gluten development. In a chewy bread,
we want a high percentage of well-developed
gluten. We can control this texture in our baked
goods by changing four conditions:
1. Selection of flours: Cake flours are “weak”
or “soft” and have a low protein content, probably
around 8%. Bread flours and high-gluten flours
are “strong” and usually have a protein content
of 12 to 14%.
2. Amount of shortening: Any fat is referred
to as a shortening because it shortens the gluten
strands. It does so by lubricating the fibers
so they cannot stick together. The more shortening
in the dough, the more tender and less chewy
the product will be.
3. Amount of liquid: Gluten must have liquid
to absorb and expand. If dough does not have
enough liquid, the gluten will not fully form
and the product will not be tender. That's why
we put a minimal amount of water in pie crusts.
4. Mixing methods: Generally, the more a batter
or dough is mixed, the more the gluten develops.
Tender muffins use low-protein flour and are
mixed only until the moisture is absorbed while
breads are kneaded for a relatively long time.
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� 2004 The Prepared Pantry
