I am looking for some information about the use of gluten in bread making
that goes beyond what one usually hears about. First I'll pose the problem
space, then I'll ask questions about it.
Problem space (all this is with a Zo):
- If I make bread using 2 3/4 cups kamut flour and 1/2 cup Vital Wheat
Gluten I get a lovely, lofty loaf.
- If I substitute a non-wheat flour for the kamut, I get a brick.
- If I combine flours, the rise is proportional to the amount of kamut.
I have heard the following statements about gluten and bread rising:
- Flour for bread making should have about 14% gluten
- Kamut doesn't have any gluten
- Kamut does have gluten
If my VWG is mostly gluten, then 1/2 cup VWG to 2 3/4 cup flour should mean
I have at least 14% gluten in the mix. But the bread doesn't rise unless
the flour is kamut.
Questions:
- *Does* kamut have any gluten? How much?
- What percentage of Arrowhead Mills Vital Wheat Gluten is gluten?
- Am I using either not enough or too much Vital Wheat Gluten?
- Is there any functional difference between a flour made from a grain
that contains gluten internally, and a combination of two flours, one of
which has no gluten and the other is almost entirely gluten?
- Is there any *other* component or characteristic, besides gluten, that
is unique to rye and wheat flours (which kamut is) and that is important
for bread rising?
(Why I care: I am allergic to wheat starch and rye flour, but apparently
not to wheat gluten or kamut starch, but I would like to get away from even
the kamut starch at least sometimes for fear I will make myself allergic to
it, too.)
Thank you for any information/insights,
- susan