If you have the luxury of knowing the types of flours, their uses, and benefits, it will be easy to take your baking to the next level.
You’ve likely seen several types of flour on the shelves of your local grocery store, but do you know the differences between their types.
Unless you’re already a baking lover – or even if you are – you may not know what goes into each variety. And you may not be sure which type works in which recipe.
To make things easier, we’ve put together a simple rundown of the most common varieties. Read on for an overview of nine types to learn the distinctive properties and uses of each type of flour.,
My Take On The Types Of Flour
Flour is a pretty apparent baking agent. When you first start baking, you will learn very quickly that you need at least a few different types of flours in your pantry.
All-purpose flour. Bread flour. Cake flour. Pastry flour. Cassava flour. The list goes on. It seems that you need at least one type for all of your favorite desserts.
Also, you probably didn’t know that in some cases, instead of going to the grocery store, you can mix your mix. If you are interested in mixing your flour, see it here
To make things easier, let me tell you my best type of flour, based on my 8 years of experience and health necessity. I am in love with cassava flour and what it brings to my baking.
Here you can see the nutritional and health benefits of cassava flour.
Now let’s dive into the full details
All-Purpose Flour
All-purpose flour is one of the most common types of flour. This variety is made from a mixture of hard and soft wheat. That gives it a medium protein and starch content.
Protein content directly affects how much gluten can be made with a particular flour. Low protein flours produce less gluten., High protein flours produce more.
Gluten also influences the structure and texture of baked goods, and its protein content ranges from 10% to 12% in all-purpose flour, while bread flour contains a higher percentage, ranging from 14 to 16 percent.
But pastry flour (9%) and cake flour (7% to 8%) have less. SF Gate reports that nearly 95% of the white flour sold in the U.S. is fortified with iron and B vitamins, including thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, and folic acid.
Bread Flour
This is made entirely from durum wheat. The more significant amount of gluten produced by this higher protein flour helps bread rise higher.
This is because the gluten traps and holds air bubbles as the dough is mixed and kneaded. Bread flour is the best choice for yeast-baked products like bread (hence the name).
Let’s assume the recipe required for this strain, but you don’t have it; what can you do? you can “increase the protein content of a flour” and increase its gluten-producing potential by adding a few tablespoons of vital wheat gluten added to plain old all-purpose
Cassava Flour
Cassava flour can be used in place of wheat flour in several recipes. It is made from the cassava root vegetable. This is a carbohydrate-rich crop that also includes vital vitamins and minerals and is devoid of gluten.
In terms of taste and texture, many people believe it is the most similar gluten-free alternative to wheat flour. This makes it an excellent gluten-free substitute for wheat flour in baking and cooking.
Cassava flour includes carbs, which are the body’s primary source of energy. It includes resistant starch as well. These are carbohydrates that are not digested by the small intestine.
Resistant starches function similarly to dietary fiber. They go from the small intestines to the colon, where they start to ferment.
Resistant starches improve gut health by feeding beneficial gut bacteria during fermentation.
Cassava flour may be used in a variety of ways, including:
In baking, you may use it to substitute wheat flour in a variety of recipes, including:
- bread
- muffins
- cookies
- cakes
- brownies
- To produce pasta dough in the pasta industry.
- Thickening: To aid in the thickening of a sauce, gravy, or pie filling.
- Farofa: Farofa is a Brazilian meal similar to couscous and is made from roasted cassava flour.
Cassava flour is excellent for producing flatbreads and tortillas that may be toasted or grilled. It is more absorbent than wheat flour.
Due to this, a person require to use slightly less cassava flour in a dish than they would ordinary wheat flour.
Cake Flour
Cake flour is very finely ground from soft wheat, which gives it an almost silky feel. This strain is low in protein. It is also bleached. (Flours that bleach naturally with age are labeled “unbleached.” But chemically treated flours are “bleached.”)
The bleaching procedure alters the structure of the starches and fats in the cake flour, resulting in a more acidic pH.
The acidity helps cakes – and other baked goods with a large amount of sugar – rise rather than break down. Meanwhile, the low protein content ensures a delicate and fluffy texture.
Cake flour is ideal for cakes. But it would help if you avoided it when baking bread. If you have a shortage of cake flour and don’t have it on hand, add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to one all-purpose cup.
Pastry Flour
Pastry flour is made from common wheat; This makes it preferable to all-purpose flour. Because of its high protein level, it falls between all-purpose and cake flour.
This variety is excellent for tart crusts, cake batter, muffins, and some cookie dough. When you are trying to achieve a “tender but crumbly pastry.”
Suppliers offer pastry flour in both whole grain and regular varieties. But your local supermarket might not be stocked. If so, you can find it in bakery stores or order it online.
Alternatively, you can mimic its properties by mixing a 2-to-1 ratio of all-purpose to cake flour.
Whole Wheat Flour
You make whole wheat flour by grinding whole kernels of red wheat. Wheat seed head has three parts: the germ, bran, and endosperm.
White flour only contains the endosperm, not the bran and the germ. However, the bran and germ comprise the majority of the fiber and protein.
Since whole wheat flour has all three servings, it’s higher in nutrients and fiber than white flour. The bran in wholemeal flour tears apart strands of gluten and thus inhibits the development of gluten.
Whole grain wheat is more absorbent than white flour. This requires more liquid and results in a stickier batter, which can be a challenge for beginners.
You can offset the effect – and suppress the tell-tale whole grain taste – by mixing whole grain and all-purpose flour.,
White whole wheat flour
To keep your homemade bread even healthier, follow these steps; choose whole wheat white flour instead of all-purpose.
However, this variety contains the endosperm, germ, and bran of a paler variety of wheat called durum wheat. Thanks to its lower tannin content, it tastes a little sweeter than conventional whole grains.,
Whole wheat and white whole wheat flour have the same nutritional value despite the different appearances and tastes.
For this reason, using this variety, blended with all-purpose flour, “for heartier, healthier results” than using all-purpose flour on its own.
Choose whole-grain white bread if you love the flavor and texture of white bread but want the natural nutritional advantages of whole-grain bread.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal does not come from wheat. Instead, it’s made from ground oats. Oatmeal has a super fine, even fluffy texture. And its sweet taste makes it “one of the most accessible whole-grain flavors.” “
Oatmeal is gluten-free and therefore perfect for people on a gluten-free diet. Livestrong notes, however, that this strain can make your baked goods heavy or crumbly; you may need to add more liquid or ascending ingredients to your recipe.
Or, if you’re not gluten-free, using oatmeal in conjunction with a variety rich in gluten, like bread flour.
You can find oatmeal in the grocery or health food store. Or you can do it at home. Crush dried oats in a food processor or blender until a fine powder forms. Each 1¼ cup of oats makes 1 cup of oatmeal.,
Self-Rising Flour
Not sure if you need rising flour yourself or wondering what’s in it? This variety is a mix of all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.
And yes, you can do it at home. Mix a cup of all-purpose flour and 1½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon of acceptable salt. See more gluten-free flour mix
Bread, cookie, and pancake recipes often call for it., Sometimes you see it in cake and cupcake recipes too. It would help if you didn’t use it in yeast bread, however.
And unless you’re really into a pinch, then you shouldn’t be using it in place of general-purpose. If you do this, you will need to reduce salt and baking soda in the recipe.
Semolina
Semolina, which you might come across in pasta and Italian pudding recipes, is made from the coarsely ground endosperm of durum wheat.
Durum wheat is the most challenging type of wheat. Interestingly, semolina has the highest gluten content of all flours.
You might see semolina flour marked as 00 flour, a finely ground pasta flour with a mean protein content of around 11% to 12%.
Durum has gluten which makes wheat flour tends to be firm but not very elastic. In contrast, the gluten in red wheat flour is both strong and elastic.
Flours and alternatives
Wheat Flour
The consumption of wheat flour is often criticized. However, I believe: the amount makes it, and that’s why we don’t want to withhold this flour from you. Wheat flour is available with the type designations 405, 550, 812, 1050, and 1600.
• Type 405 wheat flour is probably the classic among household and cake flours. Your grandmother used this flour to conjure up juicy pot cakes.
Since only the endosperm is processed in this product, the mineral content is low, and the flour is light and has an excellent consistency.
The gluten content is very high, which means for your baking project: Due to a large amount of adhesive protein, you can make a wide variety of baked goods. Sauces can also be thickened with light flour.
• Wheat flour type 550 is less processed and has slightly higher mineral content. If you decide to use this flour for baking, the results will be a little darker than with Type 405.
Despite the higher mineral content, this flour is also great for cakes and Co.
Note: This flour takes liquids such as milk or water significantly slower, which has the advantage that the part remains more stable during the baking process.
• Wheat flour type 812 contains 812 mg of minerals per 100 g of wheat flour. This flour is therefore significantly richer in minerals and vitamins.
Since more bran is used in production, this flour is coarser and unsuitable for all baked goods. In addition, it contains less gluten, which also affects the binding capacity.
While this flour can bake hearty white bread, you should use fine-pored flour for cookies and cakes. If you want more minerals in your bread, you should use the wheat flours type 1050 and 1600.
Spelled Flour
Spelled is considered to be the original form of grain. Compared to wheat and rye, it is not overbred and is therefore particularly popular with allergy sufferers.
At the same time, spelled flour has a comparatively large amount of nutrients and fiber. The high amount of fiber ensures a feeling of satiety for a long time and provides our body with energy for longer.
This is due to the carbohydrate chains contained in the flour, which means that products made with spelled flour are absorbed more slowly by the stomach.
A rapid rise in the blood sugar level is thus spared you. But be careful: People who suffer from gluten intolerance should avoid spelled, as it contains even more adhesive protein than wheat.
• Spelled flour type 630 is a light flour and can be processed like wheat flour type 405. This means that delicate biscuits and cakes can also be made with spelled flour.
However, the nutrient content is higher than that of wheat flour. You should also note that the health benefits of spelled products are more significant, as spelled has a greater variety of enzymes, vitamins, and trace elements.
• Spelled flour types 812 and 1050 are darker variants. They are less suitable for baking cakes – instead, hearty bread and pizza bases turn out perfectly with these types of flour.
In conclusion, It’s obvious most cases, spelled flour can be processed in a similar way to wheat flour and thus serves as a healthy alternative.
Rye Flour
When it comes to the content of fiber and minerals, rye flour comes first. It has significantly more nutrients than spelled and wheat, and rye has a high proportion of phytochemicals.
These substances give the grain its color and the tart taste – and have a health-promoting effect. A tip for those who like to use natural cosmetics: Rye flour shampoo is an excellent alternative to conventional shampoos.
• Rye flour type 815 is the rye flour with the lowest mineral content and is relatively light compared to the other types.
This type of flour is trendy in bakeries, as the flour gives the bread a hearty, pungent taste and, at the same time, forms a light crust when baked. We often find this flour in the form of mixed rye bread.
• Rye flour types 997 and 1150 have an even more robust taste and are darker than type 815. Both types, 997 and 1150, are particularly suitable for solid bread doughs.
But biscuits and cakes can also be made with this. Both types have a low glycemic index, which is why your blood sugar level rises very slowly when you consume rye products.
Final Thoughts
You should know that each of the cereals mentioned above is also available as a whole grain variant, in addition to whole-grain rye rolls. You can also buy whole grain or whole-grain spelled bread from the bakery.
Since the whole grain is ground in all wholemeal products, the nutritional content of these products is highest – depending on the type of grain. A type designation is therefore generally dispensed with.
