King Arthur Flour: All Purpose or Bread flour?

[husker3in4]

Which one should I use? I want to make a new york style crust, and it seems everyone here prefers King Arthur flour for this. So I finally find a store in town that carries it, but I am left staring at 2 kinds. All Purpose Flour and Bread Flour.
Unfortunatly, it doesnt list the percentage of gluten on the bag. I don't have a bread machine or a dough mixer, I usually mix it with a big plastic spoon until my wrist hurts. So, I am assuming the all purpose flour is the one I want? Does it still have the 12 - 14% gluten levels?

[chiguy]

 Husker3in4,
 I would be using KA bread version for a N.Y. style pizza recipe. A N.Y. stlye pie has higher hydration and bread or high gluten flour is better suited for higher hydrations. It is difficult to achieve higher hydration using an All Purpose flour. I believe the protien content for King Arthue Bread flour is just above 13%.    Chiguy

[Pete-zza]

Husker3in4,

The King Arthur bread flour has a protein content of 12.7%. You shouldn't have any problem hand kneading that flour, especially if you use a hydration of around 62%. (Hydration is the weight of water with respect to the weight of flour.) If you find the hand kneading tough going for any reason, just let the dough rest for about 5 minutes or so before resuming kneading.

Peter

[husker3in4]

Hm, I was under the assumption that the "Bread Flour" was more for bread machines. Can you confirm the "Bread Flour" has more gluten than the All Purpose flour, both made by King Arthur?

[chiguy]

 Husker3in4,
 The Gluten is the structure for the dough. A higher protien flour can develop a stronger gluten network, with High Gluten Flour having the highest gluten strength. The bread flour is considered to have a medium strength and fall between All purpose and high gluten. But ultimately you develop the gluten in the dough with water and mixing.   
                                                                                                             Chiguy

[Pete-zza]

As indicated by chiguy, gluten content correlates directly with protein content. The King Arthur all-purpose flour has 11.7% protein and the King Arthur bread flour has 12.7% protein. The gluten is formed only when the flour is mixed and kneaded with water. There will be greater gluten formation with the bread flour than the all-purpose flour.

Peter

[husker3in4]

Hi again, I thought correctly then that protien and gluten go together. When I looked at both bags in the grocery store, they both say 4g of protien (in the nutritional value on the side of the bag). That in fact is the same listing (4g on the all purpose Robin Hood brand of all purpose flour I'm using now. Am I looking at a commercialized version of the King Arthur flour in my grocery store?

[Pete-zza]

husker3in4,

You shouldn't pay much attention to what you see on the labels of flours sold at the retail level. The reason is explained in this post: http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,3395.msg28777.html#msg28777.

Peter

[varasano]

Go with the bread flour. There's another king arthur flour with even more protein - 14%, but stick with the bread flour.

Jeff

[husker3in4]

Hi guys, thanks for the suggestions. I am assuming you are referring to the Sir Lancelot flour? I see references to KASL flour, which I am assuming is the Lancelot flour. Heck I felt lucky to find any King Arthur flour in my stores, but I didnt see the Sir Lancelot flour. Is that something you need to order online?

[chiguy]

 Hi husker3in4,
 The Sir lancelot flour is the high gluten flour of the King Arthur line of flours, with a protien level of 14.2%.  I believe it is available on the retail level in some markets, but may need to be ordered. They do have a website www.kingarthurflour.com.    Chiguy

[tonymark]

Stick with the KA Bread flour for now.  When you want to try something new,  look into different flour.  The KABF make great crust.  It is a reliable flour.

TM

[varasano]

KASL is ordered online, but stick with the bread flour