Anyone have suggestions on where to buy quality bread flour in Melbourne without having to pay an arm and a leg for it?
I have bought big (12.5kg) bags of Manildra Bakers Flour from a bakery close to where I live (O'Heas in Coburg make fantastic sourdough and regular bread!) My experiments to date with it have yielded some very promising loaves.
Ideally I would like to track down some unbleached organic white bread flour, but from my limited enquiries around town this seems expensive.
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Replies
[quote="SourDom"]
Anyone have suggestions on where to buy quality bread flour in Melbourne without having to pay an arm and a leg for it?
[/quote]
With the caveat that I don't have enough experience to judge flour quality, I have baked some nice loaves with "Untreated Bread Flour" from [url]http://www.margandmarees.com.au/[/url].
Plus factors:
o close to where I live
o they also stock rye ($10.85 for 5kg) etc
(see their [url=http://www.margandmarees.com.au/online-store/?page=PS&category=BREAD+FLOURS+%26+MIXES&submit=Search+By+Category]Online Store[/url] for a list)
Minus factors:
o more expesive than Laucke Wallaby
o poor labelling (I don't know if the wholemeal I bought is 100% wholemeal or not, as the labels on the front and the back of the bag are different, and none of their labels mention protein content, ash content, or anything else "technical")
o asking for "rye flour" (which they stock) got me "Light Rye Bread Mix" [ In fairness, I was having a very bad day too that day. ]
I didn't feel at all welcome in the shop either of my visits, but maybe that was just me. I'll be interested to bake with Laucke's Wallaby flour now that I've found a source.
Comments and/or reviews of any of the flours from Marg & Maree's Baking very welcome.
Giles
[ Edited to get the second URL to work. My error. --giles ]
[quote="giles"]
(see their [url=http://www.margandmarees.com.au/online-store/?page=PS&category=BREAD+FLOURS+%26+MIXES&submit=Search+By+Category]Online Store[/url] for a list)
[/quote]
Spelt, maize, and millet also available, in the [url=http://www.margandmarees.com.au/online-store/?page=PS&category=SPECIALTY+FLOURS&submit=Search+By+Category]Specialty Flours[/url] list.
Giles
I have asked at a few places in town, but the friendliest and most helpful have been the nice folk at [url=http://www.sourdough.com.au/gallery/v/vic/loafer/]loafer[/url].
I bought 15kg of organic flour (white, rye and w/w) from them this morning, and am looking forward to baking with it next weekend.
cheers
Dom
We use Manildra's flour at TAFE, I don't like it because of the poor aroma it has. I recently managed a 2nd placing in a [url=http://www.biansw.com.au/main/]BIA[/url] show using [url=http://www.laucke.com.au/]Laucke's[/url] Wallaby flour. I use it becuase it is available at Bi-Lo in 5kg bags and it has a nice natural aroma to it. You can check their web page for distributors I believe there are a few in Melbourne.
[i]Note: I'm a novice and I've been [url=http://www.thefreshloaf.com/blog/518]blogging\chatting[/url] about my experiences at [url=http://www.thefreshloaf.com/]The Fresh Loaf[/url][/i]
Kazakhan,
thanks for the advice.
I am no expert on flours, but have been baking with Manildra flour for 6 months or so with good results (well they seem good to me anyway).
Loafers flour is from [url=http://www.wholegrain.com.au/]Wholegrain Milling[/url] in NSW. It will be interesting to see the difference.
I haven't found anywhere locally that sells Laucke flours, though I have heard good things about them. The supermarkets only seem to sell no-knead-mixes, and bread-machine mixes which interest me not at all.
Your loaves look great. Have you made any sourdough?
cheers
Dom
No sourdough yet, I've been trying to get a starter going for the last week or so and it's not looking good. I think I might cheat a bit and grab some healthy starter from TAFE next week.
I'm using Laucke Wallaby, $7.50/5Kg at Coles. Good flavour/texture flour at 11.5% protein. Rye is in short supply up here on the Central Coast of NSW, the only place I can get it is at the health food shop, $3.50/500g
I'll ask at TAFE on Tuesday where they got their rye from recently, it is Lauckes rye flour even though they apparently are as yet unable to source Lauckes other flours.
[quote="KazaKhan?®©"]
I'll ask at TAFE on Tuesday where they got their rye from recently, it is Lauckes rye flour even though they apparently are as yet unable to source Lauckes other flours.
[/quote]
Thanks, I'd appreciate that, I love rye bread but I feel like I'm eating gold everytime I make it at the price I'm paying for rye flour.
If you're desperate for a starter I've got a couple of different ones I can give you some of. I'm at Gorokan.
[quote="Bill44"]
If you're desperate for a starter I've got a couple of different ones I can give you some of. I'm at Gorokan.
[/quote]
Thanks but I really should get one up going on my own and I will probably grab some from TAFE on Tuesday. I have a friend that works at a wholesaler I'll ask him about what rye they keep in stock. [url=http://www.bibina.com.au/content.php3?p=products&group_id=+145+%2CFLOURS&searchword]Bibina[/url] stocks rye flour but I don't recall seeing any there last week might be worth a phone call.
If you had the time and you are in Melbourne you can contact William Angliss institute of TAFE, they have good flour suppliers .
They will give you some info about reliable flour sources.
[quote="Bill44"]
[quote="KazaKhan?®©"]Thanks, I'd appreciate that...
[/quote] [/quote]
My teacher didn't have time to find out the information when I asked yesterday. I also haven't seen my friend yet. Have you tried Bibina, I think they'd be the best bet for bulk rye.
Bill, I just bought 5kg of rye from Bibina it was $1.80 p/Kg. I'm not sure where it's from as it was unbranded and they were absolutely packed today so I didn't bother trying to ask.
Thanks mate, will be going up there next week.
Bill, I'm not sure if this important or not but the rye I got from Bibina was light rye. I just compared it to the Laucke rye I have and it's very white. I'm going to use some today for the first time. Just a 3 hour bulk ferment with compressed yeast, I'll also use my wallaby starter to kickstart a rye starter...
[quote="KazaKhan?®©"]
Bill, I'm not sure if this important or not but the rye I got from Bibina was light rye. I just compared it to the Laucke rye I have and it's very white. I'm going to use some today for the first time. Just a 3 hour bulk ferment with compressed yeast, I'll also use my wallaby starter to kickstart a rye starter...
[/quote]
Could be a fine sifted rye, I'll be there Tue morning so I'll get some and give it a go.
The best source for Laucke flours is Nix Nuts. It's a bit out there (blackburn south) for me but if I'm ever going anywhere near that way I stock up on wholemeal and organic white.
Nix Nuts & Sweets
167 Eley Rd, Blackburn South, VIC 3130
p: (03) 9802 6066
Latest approximate prices for Laucke Flour from Nix Nuts
10KG unbleached white bakers flour $13
10KG unbleached wholemeal bakers flour $14
10KG Organic white unbleached bakers flour $19
They get flour in about once a month I think, so you have to call and check before you go, as they often sell out of one or the other. I'm not sure how many other Laucke flours they stock in big bags, I'm pretty sure they often get some of the Laucke Rye flour in the 10KG bags, not sure of the price as I've never made it before it's sold out.
Pretty nice people, and have plenty of other stuff (nuts, grains, seeds, dried fruit) at good prices.
If you live in the eastern suburbs, anywhere near Dandenong, I shop at Hindustan Imports. They have lots of different stuff, flour, rice, dried fruit, spice its fantastic. I believe last week when I went it was $26.00 for a 25kg bag of Unbleached Laucke flour. I tried to check the price on there web site but they are down for maintenance as I write this. But check it out for yourself when its up again. Most of there stock is listed and the prices are there too.
Regards
Rebecca
Hi
There are a couple of dry goods shops at Preston Market that sell flour for bread making. The one I go to is a shop just behind the hot donut van (and yes, I do stop in and get a jam donut or two on the way :D). They have organic Kialla flours - unbleached white and stoneground wholemeal in 2kg ($8ish?), 5kg (about $15) and maybe 10kg. They also have white and wholemeal Laucke flour (organic and non-organic) but only in 10kg bags ($23.50 i think), at least that was the case when I checked last night. What is in stock seems a little haphazard but you could maybe speak to them to see what they order and when.
Other shops at the market stocked, variously: Laucke, kialla, manildra, weston milling. Some had the required 12% min protein, others didn't, so you'll have to check the labels.
I've been baking with Kialla and am happy with it. Soft bread but pretty good structure and awesome crust. I'm not sure if the flavour is the best possible...i'm still experimenting with different proving methods...at some stage i want to try the laucke flours since they seem to be the most widely recommended.
Good luck with it!
Christine
Hi Christine,
I noticed that you've comented that you are using Kialla flour and that it produces a soft bread. I'm finding the opposite and was wondering if it was due to the high protein content (13+%) in their flours.
I'd be interested in comparing notes to see if there's something I could learn from your technique. I find that although I get good oven spring and lots of holes, the texture of the bread is generaly a little tough and chewy. I'd much prefer a softer, lighter texture.
What's your secret ;o)
S.
Hi S
Sorry I haven't replied sooner, I only just saw your post.
I've discovered that the soft texture I'm getting is due to using a lower percentage water (around 60%). the drawback is that the texture is more 'closed', i.e. not the large holes that artisan bread traditionally has. i recently tried increasing the water to 70% and hey presto! bigger holes and a slightly chewier texture (but not too chewy).
also, with the lower water percentage mix, i don't knead the bread all that much so that might also account for the softer texture. i just knead it until the dough is smooth and then form a round and let it prove. the kneading method i was taught is to flatten out the dough, fold one third over and press, then fold the other third, turn 90 degrees, repeat 6 more times. the theory behind this is that it avoids breaking the gluten strands that are forming in the dough.
unfortunately with the higher percentage water mix, the dough is much more sticky so you can't use the kneading method above. i'm still working on my kneading technique for this. i think i will stick with the higher percentage water though, as that's the texture i'm after.
Happy baking!
Christine
... at Costco (Docklands.
Did a run today, and Manildra flour 12.5 kilo bags at ~$10 and change. Of course, that wasn't what ran the total up to $450!
Hi most of the coles supply of flour has additives, soy and other stuff. it seems expensive to get supply with less additives.