Gluten — the protein network formed when glutenin and gliadin proteins in wheat flour hydrate and are mechanically worked — determines the structure, texture, and crumb of every wheat-based baked product. Understanding gluten as a variable allows the baker to target specific outcomes rather than following recipes blindly.
A framework for understanding gluten development as a controllable variable — from minimal development (tender, crumbly) to maximum development (chewy, structured) — and the techniques that accelerate or inhibit it.
CROSS-CULTURAL TECHNIQUE SYNTHESIS + BAKING SCIENCE