Flour Information
FLOUR INFORMATION
All-purpose flour is made with a mixture of hard and soft flour. All-purpose flour is intended to be (as its name implies) suitable for various baking duties, including bread and pastry.
Bread flour is made with hard wheat. It contains a high percentage of gluten producing protein, so it is ideal for the production of bread, hence the name.
Cake flour is formulated for cakes using soft wheat flour. Because of its very low gluten content, it gives your cakes a soft crumbly texture.
Pastry flour is perfect for pie dough. Also made with soft wheat, it is a bit stronger than cake flour, but not quite as glutinous as all-purpose.
Self-rising flour is flour to which leavening has been added. To make your own, add 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt to 1 cup of flour. Alternately, be sure to leave out the salt and leavening of a recipe, if you are using self-rising flour in place of regular flour. Leavenings tend to lose their potency over time, so be sure to use it before it expires.
Whole-wheat flour is milled from the entire kernel of wheat. Known also as graham flour, it contains the bran and the germ, which makes this flour very nutritious. When used in bread, however, the sharp edges of the bran have a tendency to cut through the strands of gluten, producing a dense and heavy loaf. For this reason, some people will use a combination of whole wheat and white bread flour to achieve a lighter loaf.
Durum wheat is well known for its excellence in the making of pasta. It is a type of gluten-rich wheat that contains natural pigments, that give it a characteristic yellow color.
Kamut is the ancient Egyptian word for "wheat". Thought to be the great-granddaddy of modern wheat, kamut is grown in limited amounts today. Although higher in protein than regular wheat, the gluten quality is poor.
Spelt is another ancient wheat grain. Spelt is great-uncle to the modern durum strain. Because it grows with a thicker hull, spelt is more resistant to insects and can be grown without pesticides.
Non-Wheat Flours
There are many other grains, seeds and beans that can be ground and used as flour in baked goods. These flours are high in protein and other nutrients, but none of these flours contain the specific proteins necessary for the development of gluten. To use in a typical yeast risen bread recipe, they will have to be mixed with wheat flour. Each will have different texture and water absorption qualities, so direct substitution for wheat flour will be impossible. Use a recipe formulated for a specific flour or you might get undesirable results. There are a number of small mills that produce alternative flours, and as consumer interest grows, so does their availability. If you can't find them in your local grocery store, or health food store, try mail order sources or the Internet.
Rye flour: Rye has a unique earthy flavor that is so delicious in bread. Unfortunately, it is incapable of producing gluten, so it must be mixed with wheat flour or wheat gluten in order to rise up nice and fluffy. The natural color of rye is sort of grayish tan, so to get that "dark rye" appearance, caramel coloring is added to the dough.
Triticale: A high protein, yet low gluten hybrid of wheat and rye. Available whole, rolled or ground into flour.
Oats: This nutritious grain can also be found ground if you look around, and as everybody knows, oat bran is a heart healthy source of dietary fiber that helps to lower cholesterol.
Barley flour: Barley is one of the oldest known cereal grains, and is very high in protein and potassium. Barley is often added to bread flour and all-purpose flour to increase the enzyme action that turns starch into sugar, which feeds the yeast.
Millet: Millet is a staple grain in parts of Asia and Africa. It is a rich source of B vitamins, and can be used whole or ground into flour.
Amaranth: Once snubbed as a weed, amaranth is a very nutritious seed produced by a flowering plant. High in protein, calcium, iron and fiber, the seeds are first toasted and then ground into flour.
Quinoa: Pronounced "keen-wah", quinoa is a high protein grain that has been a staple in South America for thousands of years. Quinoa is related to amaranth and is not a member of the grass family.
Buckwheat: Unlike most cereals, buckwheat is not a member of the grass family. Buckwheat is often sold in kernels known as groats, but is also available as flour. Buckwheat is high in protein, B vitamins, folic acid, and potassium. It's excellent in pancakes and muffins.
Flaxseed: Important as a dietary supplement because it contains high amounts of omega 3 fatty acids, also found in fish oil. These fatty acids seem to reduce the risk or severity of several diseases, including cardiovascular, cancer and arthritis, as well as many others.
Many of these non-wheat flours are used by people with celiac disease, or gluten intolerance.
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