There are many varieties of flour on the market today and with a little basic
knowledge, youll be able to navigate the baking aisle like a pro. Learn about the
components, characteristics and best uses for the most common varieties of flour.
Flour is the powdery substance created when a dry grain is pulverized. This is
referred to as the milling process. The most common varieties of flour are made
from wheat although any grain can be made into flour, including rice, oats, corn or
barley.
The Components of Flour
In addition to the type of grain used, flour also varies depending on what part of the
grain is retained during the milling process. This may include the endosperm, bran
or germ.
Endosperm: This is the starchy center of the grain, which contains carbohydrates,
protein and a small amount of oil. Most simple white flours contain only this
portion of the grain.
Brain: The outer husk of the grain, known as bran, adds texture, color, and fiber to
flour. Bran gives whole grain flours their characteristic milling process will contain
more vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Gluten: Gluten is a protein found naturally in the endosperm of wheat. It gives
strength, elasticity and a characteristic chewy texture to yeast breads, pasta,
and pizza dough.
Common Flour Varieties
brown color and rough texture.
Germ: The germ is the reproductive epicenter of the grain and is a concentrated
source of nutrients. Flour that retains the germ during the All-Purpose: All-purpose
flour is made from the endosperm of wheat. This flour is often bleached to give it a
clean, white appearance and enriched to include nutrients that are lost due to the
removal of the germ and bran. All-purpose flour has a medium balance of starch and
protein so that it can be used in a wide variety of products without being too heavy
or too delicate.
Unbleached: Unbleached flour is similar in composition to all-purpose flour but has
not been chemically bleached. Unbleached flour can be used successfully in as many
recipes as all-purpose flour. Unbleached flour is a good choice for those who are
concerned with flavor purity or exposure to chemicals.
Bread Flour: Bread flour contains a higher ratio of protein to carbohydrates than all-
purpose, which produces stronger dough. The strong gluten matrix provides
structure to rising dough and gives the end product a nice, chewy texture.
Cake Flour: Cake flour contains less protein than all-purpose and is milled to a finer
texture. These two factors combined create a softer and more delicate crumb. Cake
flour is often bleached to improve its appearance.
Pastry Flour: Pastry flour has a medium protein content and is between all-purpose
and cake flour in texture. The fine texture produces flakey pastry crust while the
slightly lower protein content prevents pastries from being too dense or chewy. In
addition to pastries, this flour is also great for making cookies, biscuits, and quick
breads.
Self-Rising: Self-rising flour is mainly used to make biscuits and other quick breads.
It is comprised of all-purpose flour, salt and a chemical leavening agent such as
baking powder.
Self-rising flour should never be used to make yeast breads.
Whole Wheat: Whole wheat flour is made by grinding the entire grain (endosperm,
bran, and germ). This flour contains more nutrients and fiber than all-purpose
making it popular among health conscious individuals. Because bran can interfere
with the formation of a gluten matrix in dough, whole wheat flour often produces a
heavier, denser bread than all-purpose or bread flours.
Stone Ground: Stone ground flour is the same as whole wheat flour but is milled to a
coarser texture. Stone ground flour is valued for its characteristic rough texture and
rustic look.
Semolina: Semolina is flour made from a specific variety of wheat known as Durum.
Durum wheat has an exceptionally high protein content, giving it a very dense,
chewy texture. For this reason, semolina is most often used to make pasta.
Rice Flour: This flour is made from milling grains of rice and can be found in both
white (endosperm only) and brown (whole grain) varieties. Rice flour is lighter in
texture than wheat flours and is a popular choice among those who are intolerant to
gluten.
Masa Harina: Masa Harina is flour made from milling corn that has been treated with an alkaline solution, usually
containing lime. The lime helps loosen the corns husk prior to milling and improves the nutritional content of the flour.
Potato flour (PF) is a material that does not differ
significantly from wheat flour (WF) with regards to its
physical appearance and chemical composition. For that
reason it may be used in bread making. In this study
mixtures of wheat flour and potato flour were prepared
containing PF at levels of 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10%. The
farinograph properties of wheat flour affected by addition
of potato flour were studied. Water absorption increased
gradually from 62% for WF to 79% for blend with 8%
PF. Other parameters such as development time,
weakening of dough (Brabender units) and valorimeter
value (W) were adversely modified by the addition of
potato flour. The bread properties were studied using
mixtures containing 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 15% PF. The
substitution of WF produced increases in water
absorption, loaf weight and loaf volume as compared to
all-wheat bread. In addition, bread containing PF retained
moisture for longer periods than normal bread. Loaves
made from wheat flour and 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10% potato flour
were tested for their chemical composition and protein
efficiency ratio (PER) in the rat. Moisture of bread
increased with each increase in the level of potato flour
substitution. The protein content of bread showed a
progressive fall from 6.8% (at 4% level) to 6.3% (at 10%
level). The protein efficiency ratio did not change
significantly with the inclusion of potato flour up to 8%
compared to all-wheat, but at the 10% level there was a
significant reduction in this parameter (P < 0.05).
Based
From
Cookery
Sumbmitted From :
Princess Q. Melo
Submitted To :
Mrs. Editha S. Villega
