How to Make Bread With All-Purpose Flour

Nothing like a warm loaf of bread with a generous helping of butter, particularly if it’s handmade.

Flour is a key element in bread. Flour comes in a variety of forms, ranging from bread flour to self-rising flour to all-purpose flour.

To create bread, you should ideally use bread flour, but what if you only have all-purpose flour on hand? Can you bake bread using all-purpose flour?

Yes, the answer is yes! Keep reading to find out how to create bread using all-purpose flour.

The Difference Between Self-Rising, All-Purpose, and Bread Flour

There are certain major distinctions between all-purpose, self-rising, and bread flour that you should be aware of before using any of them.

These differences come in the form of:

Protein Amount

The main distinction between all-purpose, self-rising, and bread flour is the quantity of protein in each.

All-purpose flour has less protein than bread flour but more than self-rising flour.

Whereas all-purpose flour has 9% to 11% protein, bread flour contains 10% to 13% protein or higher. Protein content in self-rising flour is less than 10%.

Did you realize that the protein content influences the quantity of gluten? This takes us to the next significant distinction.

Gluten Increase

Gluten content in flour is related to protein content. The greater the protein content of the flour, the more gluten is created.

Gluten is essential for creating the perfect dough. Bread flour, for example, develops more gluten than self-rising and all-purpose flour. This is why it’s used to make light, crusty bread.

All-purpose flour, on the other hand, has a reduced gluten level, resulting in a fluffy dough.

Because of its low glute content, self-rising flour is unsuitable for creating bread, particularly yeasted bread.

Liquid Saturation

The high protein content results in excellent absorption. Bread flour absorbs liquids more than all-purpose flour because it has more protein.

Because of its low protein content, self-rising flour has a limited absorption capacity.

Can You Replace Bread Flour With All-Purpose Bread?

You’re probably wondering whether you can substitute all-purpose flour for bread flour or vice versa. Yes, you can in both circumstances.

As previously said, there are only minor variations between all-purpose flour and bread flour, so you may swap one for the other in your recipes. However, the outcome will be somewhat different.

Using all-purpose flour instead of bread flour will not harm your bread, but it will not yield the risen, crusty loaf that bread flour can.

Popular Recipes for Making Bread With All-Purpose Flour

Now that you know a little bit more about all-purpose flour and whether or not it can be used to bake bread, here are some of the greatest all-purpose flour bread recipes.

1 – White Bread Recipe

Let’s go through the recipe for chewy white bread made with all-purpose flour. But first, gather the necessary ingredients:

• 1 cups of warm water
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp or 1 package of instant or active dry yeast
• 1 tbsp salt
• 3 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 slightly beaten egg
• Vegetable oil or cooking spray
• Bowl
• Rectangle pan

Method

The first step is to combine sugar, yeast, and a cup of warm water in a large mixing dish. Allow it to sit for approximately 5 minutes.

Next, combine flour, salt, and a cup of warm water, and add to the yeast mixture. Mix the batter until it forms a dough.

Knead the whole thing for 5 minutes, or until it turns elastic.

Second, place the dough in a large floured or sprayed mixing basin. Coat the bowl with a dry towel and set it aside for 45 minutes in a warm, draft-free location.

Gently push the dough with your fingers to ensure it has risen enough. If it stays fluffy, it is done.

Finally, punch the dough down and cover it for 30 minutes. Then, expose it and pound it one again.

Cover the dough for another 10 minutes. The dough should then be rolled out on a rectangular pan greased with vegetable oil or frying spray.

Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes after pressing it vigorously to expel any air pockets. After that, use the beaten egg to clean the top of the bread.

The oven should then be preheated to 425 degrees. Then, bake the mixture for 12 minutes at the same temperature.

Reduce the heat to 350°F after a few minutes and let the bread for 15 minutes.

Finally, remove the bread from the oven, cover it with a clean towel, and serve.

2 – Romanian Country Bread

Romanian bread is a simple, no-egg recipe. Let’s learn about its components!

• 4 or 5 cups of all-purpose flour
• One cup of yellow cornmeal
• 2 cups of warm water
• Three tbsp of melted shortening
• One tablespoon sugar
• 3 of active dry yeast
• Two tsp of salt

Method

First, combine a cup of warm water, sugar, and yeast in a stand mixer or large mixing dish and let aside for 5 minutes.

Next, combine two cups of warm water, two cups of all-purpose flour, the melted shortening, and salt in a mixing bowl.

Mix the ingredients until they are moistened. In a separate dish, combine 2 1/2 cups flour and cornmeal. Then, one cup at a time, add the mixture to the yeast.

Examine the result. If the dough isn’t elastic enough, add a half cup of flour and knead it well. After that, set it aside for an hour to relax.

Sprinkle cornmeal on a circular pan when the dough has risen. Place the dough on the pan, draw an X on it, and bake for 55 minutes in a preheated oven.

Remove your bread from the oven, let it aside for 10 minutes before cutting, and enjoy your dinner.

3 – Lemon and Yellow Squash Bread

If you like the citrus flavor of lemon, this dish is a perfect complement.

• 2 cups of shredded yellow squash
• 2 cups of sugar
• One cup of unsalted melted butter
• cup of lemon juice
• 2 tbsp lemon zest
• 3 cups of all-purpose flour
• 3 large beaten eggs
• One tbsp salt
• One tbsp baking powder
• One tbsp baking soda

To prepare the lemon glaze, you need:

• One or two tablespoons of milk
• 1 cups of sugar powder
• One tablespoon of corn syrup
• One tablespoon of lemon juice

Method

First, preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare two floured bread pans. Second, strain the yellow squash to eliminate any excess moisture.

Third, in a medium mixing bowl, combine the lemon zest, sugar, melted butter, and lemon juice. Then, one at a time, add the beaten eggs. And then combine for three minutes, or until the batter is frothy.

In a separate dish, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Mix these items into the batter well.

Mix the yellow squash into the batter until it is fully combined. Divide the mixture evenly between the two sprayed baking pans. Bake for a maximum of 60 minutes, checking after 45 minutes.

Begin creating the lemon glaze while the bread is baking. To begin, combine one tablespoon of milk and one tablespoon of corn syrup in a pot.

When the liquid is nearly simmering, combine the lemon juice and confectioners sugar. Add the blend to the simmering sauce and check to see if it is thick.

If the mixture is too thick, add another tablespoon of milk and continue to stir until the mixture is neither too thick nor too fluid.

Do not remove the bread from the pan after it has been removed from the oven. Instead, immediately pour the lemon sauce over the bread and let it aside to rest.

Finally, unfold the bread and eat heartily!

4 – Oatmeal Bread

The following ingredients are required to produce the tasty and simple oatmeal bread recipe:

• Two or 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• One package of active dry yeast
• cup of butter
• cup of rolled oat and 2 tbsp for garnish
• One cup of water
• One egg
• One tsp of salt
• cup of honey

Method

First, coat a bread pan with cooking spray. Then, in a large mixing bowl, combine a cup of all-purpose flour, yeast, salt, and a cup of oats.

In a pot, heat some water and add honey and butter. When it is heated, add it to the flour mixture along with an egg. For around 3 minutes, thoroughly combine the ingredients.

To make a firm batter, gradually add one to one and a half cups of flour to the mixture. The batter should then be covered and rested for 30 minutes.

Then, whisk the ingredients and pour it into the bread pan. Place two tablespoons of oats on top of the batter and allow it to rise for no more than 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the pan for 40 minutes. Finally, remove the bread from the oven and set it aside to cool. Now it’s time to serve and enjoy!

Final Thoughts

Although bread flour is often used to make the greatest bread, other kinds of flour, such as all-purpose flour, are equally trustworthy.

You now understand how to create bread using all-purpose flour. There are several alternative recipes available on the internet. All you have to do is choose the one that best matches your needs and begin baking.

Bon appetit!