| I have been having an email conversation with another | | | | milling process, many of the nutrients were lost and |
| foodie who taught me a thing of too about meringue | | | | had to be replaced - so enriched is simply what it |
| and was I ever thankful in learning her techniques in not | | | | implies; enriched flour has added nutrients such as iron, |
| have weeping meringue! But alas, we can all learn | | | | niacin, thiamine, folic acid added to the mix. |
| from one another, and soon she was asking me | | | | Other types of flours can also include rice, peanut, |
| questions about flour and which flours are perfect for | | | | potato and of course in the world we live in, a variety |
| certain types of baking and cooking needs. | | | | of other different types of flours can be bought over |
| What is it about flour and how does it handle and | | | | the internet from other countries and in local health |
| stand up to our various baking and cooking needs? | | | | stores and specialty stores. |
| This simple question I wished to resolve and find out - | | | | Did you know that there are pizza restaurants out in |
| and what I learned was more than I could almost | | | | California that have both water and flour 'imported' |
| handle since there seem to be several different points | | | | from NY so they can create the NY Pizza? That's is |
| of views as to which flour is best to use for certain | | | | how different flours and (water) can change a recipe |
| baking and cooking situations. | | | | and its' basic tastes. |
| And as a result, a new article idea was born and | | | | I would highly recommend, trying out some of the other |
| hence the following is a result of today's research. I | | | | types of flours when you make bread the next time - |
| sifted through a variety of blogs and websites to | | | | experiment with different combinations and you will |
| come up with the information provided below. I list the | | | | soon be creating your own interesting hearty breads. |
| resources at the bottom of the article for those who | | | | When in doubt, look at your package of flour to see |
| are so ever curious including one for the photo to the | | | | what combinations of additional flours and/or |
| above. | | | | ingredients have been added - you may find that the |
| Now some of you may think all flours are equal - well | | | | whole wheat flour is actually not completely whole |
| that is simply not true. Not all flours behave equally | | | | wheat but in fact has white flour already added. This is |
| when used in baking due to their varying levels of hard | | | | particularly true when you wish to avoid certain 'flours' |
| and soft wheat flour, level of proteins including nutrients. | | | | or are trying a new bread recipe that calls for different |
| The flour your mother and grandmother used can be | | | | types of flour such as rye. |
| very different to the flours now available on the | | | | Unbleached Versus Bleached Flour - Bleached flours |
| market today and certainly can behave differently | | | | will have a slight lower protein content than unbleached. |
| when used in baking and cooking. Furthermore, what | | | | Unbleached flours will be so ever 'not as white' as |
| we may be able to buy in the grocery store is not | | | | bleached flours in their color. And due to the less |
| what your commercial baker gets and in fact all | | | | protein amount, bleached flours when making breads |
| purpose flour purchased in the Northeast may be and | | | | specifically may not rise as much and bake out flatter |
| will be very different than flour purchased in the South | | | | (I know this since I have experienced this). |
| or out West by California (who knew!?!) This was | | | | Sifted Versus Unsifted Flours - This may seem self |
| something I had no idea about - so how the heck does | | | | explanatory - but there is a huge difference in weight |
| one use the same cookbook (such as The Joy of | | | | when comparing one cup of unsifted flour to a sifted |
| Cooking) in all areas of our blessed country? I am not | | | | flour. I have personally experienced a half a cup more |
| even going to approach that subject. But I digress. | | | | of flour once it has been sifted! Imagine adding |
| For many occasional bakers, all purpose flour will stand | | | | unintentionally an extra half cup of flour to your recipe |
| up (and rise to the occassion) as needed and is | | | | and what that could do to ruin a perfectly good recipe. |
| perfect for almost every baking and cooking need. For | | | | Since I mainly refer to cookbooks that are 50 years |
| others who are particular in their baking perfections | | | | old, I like to use the unsifted flour and sift accordingly to |
| and confections - different flours are preferred for | | | | the recipe directions. Remember, cooking and baking is |
| their specific gluten contents and yeast raising abilities - | | | | chemistry - and the correct amounts make for perfect |
| I will try and share what I have learned about all types | | | | results every time. |
| of flours. I also included on the bottom of this article a | | | | In most cases, my recipes will call for me to measure, |
| substitutions list that can come handy if you are in a | | | | sift, measure again, then add the salt, baking powder, |
| jam for some of you bakers out there. Do note that | | | | etc. then sift once more. Yes, I will sift my flours twice. |
| not all substitutions will work for every recipe - as their | | | | But, my cakes are extra light as are the cookies crisp |
| are some limitations to the chemistry compounds. | | | | and chewy as a result with having extra happy eaters. |
| I divided up the information into two categories, one in | | | | If I happen to be using a pre-sifted flour (it has been |
| which the different flours are described, and the | | | | known to happen) I will still carefully measure the flour, |
| second, which type of flour is best to be used in your | | | | add the salt and other dry ingredients, then sift them all |
| different cooking and baking situations. | | | | together, since flour whether sifted or not easily settles |
| For the Divaliscious record, I prefer to use unbleached | | | | (like your bag of potato chips and cereals) during its |
| un-sifted all purpose flour such as Heckers or King | | | | many travels in shipping to your local grocery store. |
| Arthur's for almost every baking and cooking recipe | | | | Sifting the flour will aerate the flour, remove any lumps |
| except for when the recipe calls for cake flour (I live in | | | | and will create a lighter texture to your fine baking |
| the NE). I also use the same flour for my gravies and | | | | goods. I do not sift my bread flour since I mainly use a |
| sauces -I am personally not a big fan of Wondra | | | | bread machine to make my dough, but will sift my flour |
| -though I know it helps a lot of people in avoiding lumps | | | | for when I make quick breads such as banana loafs, |
| in their gravies and sauces (but that can be avoided | | | | etc. which I do not make in my bread machine. And for |
| by not adding the liquid too fast and not walking away | | | | the most part, I use my bread machine to simply make |
| from your beginning gravy stages and using a whisk to | | | | the dough, then I take the dough out of the machine so |
| stir). | | | | that I can create a more homemade and rustic-looking |
| And of course I will sneak in some Bisquick (a | | | | bread. |
| self-rising flour product) in making my oven-fried | | | | I use a fine mesh strainer to sift my flour - long gone |
| chicken, dumplings or a quick pancake or coffeecake | | | | are my flour sifters (which you may recall seen used |
| when I am in a jam as it is a tried and true product - | | | | by your mother and grandmother respectively) since |
| but would never use Bisquick as an all purpose flour if I | | | | they are hard on the wrists (from all the squeezing or |
| was making cakes, breads or cookies from scratch. | | | | cranking mechanisms) and they rust easily while taking |
| Descriptions on the different type of flours: | | | | up too much room in the kitchen where space is |
| All Purpose Flour - is made from a blend of high and | | | | always at a premium especially for when they are |
| low gluten wheats, and has a bit less protein than | | | | used for one thing only. Why bother with sifters from |
| bread flour. All purpose flour sold in the North, usually | | | | year's past? |
| has a blend of both soft and hard wheat flours | | | | The fine mesh strainer can be used for so many |
| whereas in the South, it is a blend of soft wheat flours. | | | | multi-purposes in the kitchen, can be easily hand |
| All purpose flour can generally be used in all recipes. | | | | washed along with going into the dishwasher to be |
| But for the truly picky - see belows list for the | | | | cleaned that this tool is a must have in your kitchen - |
| preferred flour type for what you are baking and | | | | and can easily be purchased for about $6.00. |
| cooking. | | | | Effective, easy to clean multi-purpose gadgets are |
| Bread Flour - has a higher hard wheat content than | | | | what I like in my kitchen - as I am sure you would want |
| say all purpose flour, and is used a lot by commercial | | | | that too! |
| bakers. There is also a higher gluten content (more | | | | How To Correctly Measure Flour: |
| protein) in bread flour with a small amount of malted | | | | Using a smaller scoop, scoop up flour and place flour |
| barley flour and vitamin c or potassium bromate added | | | | gently into your one cup measuring cup or other |
| to it in which the bromate helps increase the elasticity | | | | needed measuring cup. With the FLAT side of a dinner |
| of the gluten, creating a dough with which can easily | | | | knife, scrape gently off the excess of flour back into |
| be worked. | | | | your canister or bag of flour to create a leveled |
| Cake Flour - has a low and delicate gluten content and | | | | measured cup of flour. Do not pack your flour down |
| is finely milled with a super smooth texture allowing | | | | like it is brown sugar for Pete's sake into your |
| cakes to be light and airy - think of jelly rolls, sponge | | | | measuring cup. Doing so will result in heavy and dense |
| cakes and angel food cakes. | | | | baked goods. Yuck. |
| Pastry Flour - is finer in texture than all purpose flour | | | | Pour your measured flour into your fine mesh strainer |
| but it is not as fine as cake flour. This flour is usually | | | | which is placed above a bowl, then measure any more |
| distributed to commercial bakers and contains a lower | | | | additional flour amounts that you need. By tapping the |
| gluten content and is made mostly of soft wheat | | | | strainer back and forth, you will quickly sift your flour. |
| attributes. | | | | Just remember to measure the flour again now that it |
| Self-rising Flour - is an all purpose flour to which | | | | has been sifted once before putting your flour into |
| additional ingredients have been added such as baking | | | | your mixing bowls to get an accurate flour |
| powder and salt. And it should be used as according | | | | measurement. |
| to its package directions since there are differences | | | | When my baking recipe calls for sifting (since most of |
| per each self-rising flour product out there - there are | | | | them do) I will measure and then sift for the first time. |
| several available on the market (Bisquick comes to | | | | Then will have to measure again carefully since with |
| mind once again, and it was the one 'allowed' cheating | | | | one sifting a lot of extra flour can be created - try it |
| self-rising flour we used in our household when I grew | | | | and see for yourself (and as mentioned previously, I |
| up - and still allow in my cupboard for those dumpling | | | | have experienced over an extra 1/2 cup of flour from |
| moments that come to pass every once in awhile | | | | the first sifting!) You will be amazed at the amount of |
| when I make a stew) - You can also make your own | | | | extra flour which can come about from one sifting - |
| if you wish, just keep it in a sealed container due to the | | | | and you will now understand why your cakes are not |
| baking powder which you want to keep fresh to retain | | | | like your grandmothers'! This will be a thing of the past |
| it's leavening properties. (1 cup self-rising flour is equal | | | | by following the simple tips as described above. |
| to 1 cup cake flour with 1-1/2 teaspoons baking | | | | What kind of flour to use when baking and cooking: |
| powder and a pinch of salt added to it.) | | | | All Purpose Flour - can be used for most recipes and |
| Whole Grain Wheat Flour - wheat flours can vary in | | | | for general cooking and baking purposes |
| their amounts of white flours added, but most are tried | | | | Unbleached Unsifted flour - preferred by most fine |
| and true and can now be used successfully in bread | | | | bakers and cooks - great for cookies, pie crusts, |
| recipes without adding any additional 'white' flour. | | | | cream pies fillings, gravies |
| Durham/Semolina Flour - is used primarily for breads | | | | Cake flour - for your angel food cake recipes and |
| and pasta doughs due to its high gluten and protein | | | | cake batters and recipes requiring a light batter (not |
| amounts. | | | | brownies for example). |
| Rye Flour - rye flour usually needs to have wheat flour | | | | Wheat flour - great for your bread recipes since it has |
| added to give it some lightness due to its lacking the | | | | a higher protein and gluten amount than say your all |
| necessary proteins to form gluten which is essential in | | | | purpose flour. |
| making breads. | | | | Self-rising flour - preferred by Southern cooks for |
| Soybean Flour - Neither gliadin or glutenin, the | | | | perfect biscuits every time - one mentioned often |
| necessary proteins when moistened to create gluten | | | | enough is named Lily - It is not readily available here in |
| can be found in soybean flour, hence a strong wheat | | | | the NE. |
| flour needs to be added to soy bean flour for good | | | | Substitutions: |
| results in making breads with soybean flour. Although, | | | | - 1 cup of all purpose flour = 1 cup + 2 tbsp sifted cake |
| with quick-breads and cakes, soybean flour may be | | | | flour |
| substituted up to half of the amount of all purpose flour | | | | - 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour = 1 cup minus 2 tbsp |
| with good results. | | | | unsifted flour |
| Buckwheat Flour - has very strong characteristics, a | | | | - 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour = 1 1/2 cups |
| nutty flavor and is very 'heavy' and must always be | | | | breadcrumbs |
| combined with wheat or white flours to create good | | | | Hope this information is useful to those who need to |
| results in breads. | | | | know a little more about flour. Feel free to leave your |
| Enriched Flour - since after WWII, the demand for an | | | | comments, ask questions and share your ideas. I look |
| enriched flour product was at a all time high (and the | | | | forward to hearing from you! -Divaliscious. |
| FDA demanded it during the war), and since due to the | | | | |