japanese flour

[surreption]

I just got a new bread recipe that calls for Japanese flour. The Romanji name is ongonzuru. I am looking for an equivalence for North America. I saw a great post that gave several bread flours but it did not include this particular flour.

Thanks for your help!

[Hiroyuki]

Probably ogon (or ohgon) zuru, literally golden crane.

This is one type of flour called kyorikiko (lit. strong flour) in Japanese, with a high gluten content of 11.5 to 13.0%

A photo of ogon zuru:

http://www.rakuten.co.jp/souffle/625333/626088/

[surreption]

Hiroyuki, thank you very much! I will see if I can find this brand in the morning. I am very excited. Thank you. I will see if the bread flour I have will work since it is ~12% protein.

[helenjp]

It has a protein content of 12% - so it's moderately high in gluten.

Try to match it with something with a similar protein content, or blend flours.

What type of bread are you making? Flours from domestic (Japanese) wheat tend to be around 11-12% (the standard supermarket brand, Super Camellia, is 11.5%).

French bread flours sold here are usually 10-11% protein; good bread flours are usually over 13% protein, very occasionally up to 15%, if that's any guide.

Flours used with Japanese natural yeast seem to be on the lower end, 11-12% protein.

If you are using a flour with less protein, you may need less water to mix, and conversely, you may need more liquid than the recipe suggests if your flour has more protein.

Flour comparison using different flours. Ougonzuru (Ohgonzuru) bread is the photo second from the left, in the second row down (next to OPERA).

Baking notes are very positive, citing good rise and nice aroma/flavor.

[surreption]

I am making a sokupan. I made it with the flour I had and it came out good but i would like the texture to be better. I am not sure if it was my technique, the flour, or the recipe. I am making a trip to a local Japanese market today. I will try again tonight.

I really appreciate the help on the flour! This forum is most excellent.

[sanrensho]

I am making a sokupan.

If you're interested, we also have a thread dedicated to making shokupan here.

[budrichard]

I use Japanese flours in my Japanese recipes. I don't have any measuring equipment but it seems like the Japanese flours are much finer ground than say US Flour.-Dick