I've inherited a large quantity of very low protein pastry flour tha
I'm trying to make pizza from by combining with vital wheat gluten I've tried varying ratios of VWG to pastry flour along with varyin levels of hydration and no matter what I do, I'm not getting a extensible dough/proper sheeting. From the moment the VWG start hydrating it acts like torn/overworked/lumpy dough and appears to sta that way for the duration of the baking process.
I normally work with a bromated high protein spring wheat flour an after it's been allowed to hydrate a bit, it's pretty muc insta-sheeting/perfection every time. Is VWG damaged gluten? And if so, is this damage irreversible? If not, are there ways of encouragin VWG to be more extensible?
Can VWG be left out in the open air to oxidize like you would regula flour? Will this make a difference?
My regular bread flour dough gets a 15-20 min autolyse. 30 minute seemed to have very little effect on the VWG version. Would a overnight autolyse help? Besides an extended autolyse, would a overnight cold proof help the gluten hydrate?
I like the flavors I get from a long cool rise so I've been taking thi route with the VWG. Will reverting to a warm proof give me additiona extensibility?
Does ascorbic acid help with extensibility? Rye bread is made with VWG correct? Does the acid formed during the souring process aid i extensibility?
Because the VWG dough appears to be overworked/torn right off the bat my natural inclination is not to knead it any more. Should I ignor this impulse and knead it aggressively like I would normal dough? I'v tried kneading/not kneading, but the results have been pretty much th same- lumpy, easily torn dough
-- scott123