MamaM, what is the purpose of the gluten to bread? Thanks!!! 
without gluten there is nothing to hold the gas to make the bread rise
the stronger the gluten is, the more gas it can hold
but not good for pastries and pie crusts where you want to avoid gluten
that's why flours have different amounts of protein - a high protein flour will yield a dough with high gluten which is great for yeastbreads - low protein flours are better for pies and pastries
when you knead dough you help the protein for gluten
gluten gives you the light texture you want in breads - that "chewiness"
the stronger the gluten is, the more gas it can hold
but not good for pastries and pie crusts where you want to avoid gluten
that's why flours have different amounts of protein - a high protein flour will yield a dough with high gluten which is great for yeastbreads - low protein flours are better for pies and pastries
when you knead dough you help the protein for gluten
gluten gives you the light texture you want in breads - that "chewiness"
Thanks, Mama. I knew you would come through for me.
So now I don't understand why those other people said it was necessary to add the vital wheat gluten. Why did they do that?
All I have is the graham flour. Is that okay?
So now I don't understand why those other people said it was necessary to add the vital wheat gluten. Why did they do that?
All I have is the graham flour. Is that okay?
You're welcomed - here's more to try -
Graham Bread (one Loaf) Recipe
1 pound Graham flour that is a real wheat meal
1 cup lukewarm water
1 cake compressed yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons molasses
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1.Sift the flour to make it light and break up the lumps.
2.Do not throw away the bran.
3.Mix the bran with the flour that has been sifted.
4.Crumble the yeast cake into the lukewarm water and stir until it is completely dissolved.
5.Then stir in the salt, molasses, and oil.
6.Turn this mixture into the flour, and stir it to a dough with a spoon.
7.It should be too soft to knead.
8.Cover it tightly with a tin cover or several thicknesses of cloth.
9.Set it in a warm place to rise until a hole will sink in the dough when it is struck with the backs of the fingers.
10.Place the dough on a floured board and mold it into a hard roll.
11.Place the roll in an oiled bread tin and set it in a warm place to rise, covered with cloth.
12.When the top of the loaf is a little below the top of the pan, it is ready to put into the oven.
13.Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees, but monitor it closely as the molasses is likely to scorch.
Graham Bread (one Loaf) Recipe
1 pound Graham flour that is a real wheat meal
1 cup lukewarm water
1 cake compressed yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons molasses
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1.Sift the flour to make it light and break up the lumps.
2.Do not throw away the bran.
3.Mix the bran with the flour that has been sifted.
4.Crumble the yeast cake into the lukewarm water and stir until it is completely dissolved.
5.Then stir in the salt, molasses, and oil.
6.Turn this mixture into the flour, and stir it to a dough with a spoon.
7.It should be too soft to knead.
8.Cover it tightly with a tin cover or several thicknesses of cloth.
9.Set it in a warm place to rise until a hole will sink in the dough when it is struck with the backs of the fingers.
10.Place the dough on a floured board and mold it into a hard roll.
11.Place the roll in an oiled bread tin and set it in a warm place to rise, covered with cloth.
12.When the top of the loaf is a little below the top of the pan, it is ready to put into the oven.
13.Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees, but monitor it closely as the molasses is likely to scorch.