Hello Myth
Hope this information helps
Strong flour = made from hard wheat = high gluten content
Ordinary flour/pastry/cake making flour = made from soft wheat = low gluten
Most bread recipes in the UK and Ireland specify using Strong Flour.
This is indeed because in the past much of the wheat grown here had a low
gluten content and this results in less 'rise'. Actually nowadays the
growers have bred better strains to grow here and the distinction is less
important. Some cheaper flours here do not make good rising yeast bread but
are fine for all other uses. Bread made with them tends to be dense and
close in texture.
I would guess that any flour sold in the US for bread making would be a
suitable substitute in your recipe.
Perhaps there is another cause for a different texture? One suggestion is
that many traditional country breads have less kneading and knocking back
than in modern breads - this results in a softer and slightly uneven texture.
Incidentally because of the soft wheats in the past most traditional breads
in Ireland (and Wales where I live) were not yeasted breads but soda breads
as these work well with soft flours.
I'm making a lot of wholemeal soda bread at the moment with extra coarse
stoneground flour which is outstandingly flavoursome. The only snag is I
have to go back to Ireland soon to get more supplies as the flour is not
available here.
I'd be very interested in your recipe if you'd like to share it.
Alison
North Wales UK