# Where can I buy good quality bread flour?



## domadam

Hi everyone,

I enjoyed baking bread back in the UK but have found that the bread flour (harina de fuerza) sold here in Spain in the supermarkets isn't very good quality. I've tried the bread flour from Mercadona, Alcampo, Hypercor and Carrefour but they don't seem to have a very high gluten content. Also, I can only find to types, white and wholemeal.

I know the bread sold here in Spain is a much superior quality to that sold in the UK and far cheaper, but nothing beats fresh home-baked bread.

Does anyone know where I can find a good quality bread flour similar to the one sold as 'Very Strong' white flour in the UK without paying through the nose?


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## Mame

I used to buy mine from the local baker.


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## thrax

Tough one I think. we make a lot of our own bread, pizza bases and naan breads and have to have strong white flour. Nothing else gives the same results. So we buy ours in a local supermarket called Iranzo (in Nerja) and they sell Homepride, Hovis and some others I can't remember the names of. I pay between €2.00 and €3.99 for 1.5 kg. Expensive, well a bit, but worth every cent!!! Most of the British shops sell it too and occasionally Dunnes Stores sell it.


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## GerryFox

Do you have a local 'Iceland' near you? The Icelands in Spain (ok I've only been to two) seem to stock ex-pat necessities , marmite, bisto etc.

Not actually out there currently but due to come out in a couple of weeks so will check the flour situation.


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## dunmovin

as well as Iceland, carrefour, Super-valu, Corte de ingles also stock it


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## virgil

When we lived in Tenerife back in the 90's, I used to get my flour from a German chap who owned a health food store.

He used to grind the flour from organic wheat - while I waited!

I used to specify a coarse grind  and my bread really was the biz.

I still make all our own bread here in Gran Britannia, using a Panasonic bread machine and W H Marriage Organic Strong Wholemeal Flour 1.5kg: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics bought locally.

I don't add any sugar to the mix, use 1tbs of olive oil instead of butter, and add 500mg of Vit C as a flour improver.

So, have a scout around the health food shops, I'm sure you'll find some arf decent flour.


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## Navas

I also bake all my own bread in the UK using the no knead method: No Knead Bread Baking Method I use a mixture of white, wholemeal and rye flour, but as long as some of the flour is strong, I've found it works even with about half ordinary plain flour.


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## baldilocks

I've had no problem with either Carrefour or Mercadona harina fuerza. Are you sure that your yeast is good. Some of that available in Spain is not of very good quality. I've found that it is frequently a good idea to make a 'starter' and that way you can check that it is sufficient of gas before adding it. Occasionally one can get a strong flour that has insufficient gluten and the gas just bubbles out of it instead of forming closed bubbles and making the mix rise, in which case I have added a little dried egg white to make it stickier. I have also heard of people adding some rice flour or tapioca flour.


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## samthemainman

I'be never had much luck with Spanish harina fuerza - I nip back to the UK most months for meetings with work so stock up on Waitrose Very Strong Canadian Bread flour. It's amazing and makes amazing focaccia as well as great pizza and loaves. My suitcase gets stuffed with the stuff. I use Allinsons easy blend yeast sachets (or whatever they're called). Spanish flour - like British flour bit for different reasons - isn't great.


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## GUAPACHICA

domadam said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I enjoyed baking bread back in the UK but have found that the bread flour (harina de fuerza) sold here in Spain in the supermarkets isn't very good quality. I've tried the bread flour from Mercadona, Alcampo, Hypercor and Carrefour but they don't seem to have a very high gluten content. Also, I can only find to types, white and wholemeal.
> *
> I know the bread sold here in Spain is a much superior quality to that sold in the UK and far cheaper, but nothing beats fresh home-baked bread.*
> 
> Does anyone know where I can find a good quality bread flour similar to the one sold as 'Very Strong' white flour in the UK without paying through the nose?


Hi - all I can say is that you've obviously never lived in Cadiz city, where the local bread is composed of bleached sawdust, in the form of baguettes, loaves and small rolls! It's made at a city -centre factory, part-baked and is then delivered to all Cadiz bakeries, bars, restaurants etc! It's often served stale, alongside tapas - and I've never heard a Spanish customer complain! 

I've frequently introduced my friends here to home-made bread and cakes - a revelation to many from this city! In fact, I've managed, after some three years, to bury the myth that all English bread is rubbish, LOL! 

There used to be one German bakery here, but, sadly, the owner had to close his shop due to lack of demand - I still fantasise about his fabulous cheesecakes…! 
BTW, I'm back in the UK, again, temporarily, and am so enjoying the amazing varieties of bread available here - even in the supermarkets! I do wish I could establish a Cadiz franchise each for Waitrose and Marks/Sparks food hall - I'd love to see the faces of my Spanish friends on seeing just how much choice there is -and how fresh the bread is, too! 
Of course, anyone who visits an English bakery, nowadays, would have even more of a surprise, if they were still of the opinion that we eat only soft, white sliced cotton wool…!

Saludos,
GC


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## GallineraGirl

GerryFox said:


> Do you have a local 'Iceland' near you? The Icelands in Spain (ok I've only been to two) seem to stock ex-pat necessities , marmite, bisto etc.
> 
> Not actually out there currently but due to come out in a couple of weeks so will check the flour situation.


I buy Granary and Wholemeal Bread flour there. Strong white flour is also available. It is expensive but much better than the Spanish varieties for bread machines. Lidls do some bread mixes which work well but we find them rather salty


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