Reply #17: Sure... I posted 3 recipes in a separate post [View All]

[housewolf]

You can pretty much substitute all-purpose and bread flour for each other. When making the dough, bread flour absorbs more flour than all-purpose so if you're substituting bread flour for a-p, you'll need a little extra liquid or a little extra flour. If substituting a-p for bread flour, a little less liquid or a little more flour.

As for the end result, properly kneaded bread flour makes a loaf that will be a little higher-rising and stronger than a-p. A-p gives you a loaf that is softer and more tender, but a little lower.

Bread making takes a certain amount of "playing with" or experimenting in order to learn and find out what works best for you in your environment. For instance, being in Arizona where it is often hot and very dry, the flour dries out and needs a little more liquid in order to achieve the proper consistency. People in high altitudes have other challenges they need to figure out.

But the key is always to achieve the proper consistency of dough - a dough that is soft and moist but holds its shape. A little tacky is okay but not sticky. The biggest mistake new breadbakers make is to add too much flour to their dough, making it all the way dry instead of a little bit moist.

Thanks for your questions and the opportunity to talk a little about bread baking, this has been fun for me.