What are the different types of wheat flours?

[Shaheen]

what are the different types of wheat flour? I have come accross a variety of them while reading recipes like cake flour, bleached flour, bread flour.. i was wanting to know the difference among the the variety. I know there are more but these are just the ones I can remember now. Is it absolutely essential to use them when a recipe calls for it or can I use plain flour? Is there anythign that I can add to make them like the other types?
Thanks

 

[Gretchen]

For most uses, all purpose flour (plain) is fine. In fact, for all purposes it is. You will get slightly better/different results by using the flour that is specified in a recipe.
For example, bread flour is higher protein flour so it supports the structure of the bread.
Pastry flour is lighter (probably lower protein) so it allows the baked product to be lighter, airier.
Most AP flour is bleached--
For use as all purpose flour I prefer unbleached flour.
You can make plain flour into bread flour by the addition of vital gluten (available on the baking aisle now).
You can make plain flour into pastry flour by adding cornstarch.

 

[Shaheen]

What proportions should I follow? how much cornstarch should be added to plain flour? I don't think I'll get the vital gluten here though

 

[TexanFrench]

Hi Shaheen,

All purpose flour is probably OK for bread if you aren't using commercial equipment. Loaf may be a bit more crumbly than with a high-gluten flour.

For pastry flour, I believe my mom used to use a proportion of 1/4 rice flour and 3/4 all-purpose wheat flour, or 1/2 rice flour and 1/2 whole wheat flour (whole wheat being heavier).

Good luck!

 

[Andy M.]

Bread flour is a high protein or hard flour.

Pastry flour is a low protein or soft flour.

All Purpose flour is a compromise somewhere in between.

Rather than trying to doctor AP flour so it acts like bread or cake flour, buy these types when you need them. They are available in small quantities.

 

[Ishbel]

In the UK we have Plain white flour, Self-Raising White flour and Strong Bread flour (white). We also have various gradings of brown flour - granary, wholemeal, bread etc. I have also noticed recently that some SR flour also has 'sponge flour' written on the packing, but I've never bought it.

 

[Caine]

Go to http://www.kingarthurflour.com/. Have a look around. Everything you ever wanted to know about flour should be on that site.

Order their catalog (after having someone come to your house and hide all your credit cards), you'll love it.

 

[Gretchen]

What proportions should I follow? how much cornstarch should be added to plain flour? I don't think I'll get the vital gluten here though

Here are some subs. I see where you are now and you probably can't get the gluten--although your flour may already be a higher protein than ours here in the US. Indian cooks make nan which is certainly nice and chewy.
You can use all purpose flour. Your bread (totally depending on the recipe) may not be as "pully", but I have only used bread flour in very recent years, having used regular flour for MANY MANY years before that.



cake flour = soft-wheat flour Equivalents: 4 1/2 cups cake flour = 1 pound Includes: self-rising cake flour These substitutions will perform better if you also do this: (1) Mix the batter as little as possible. (2) Separate eggs, beat the whites, and fold them into the batter Substitutes: pastry flour (This has more protein than cake flour but less than all-purpose flour. Cakes made with pastry flour tend to be a bit less delicate and crumbly.) OR all purpose flour (Substitute 7/8 cup all-purpose flour for each cup of cake flour and add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch for every 7/8 cup all-purpose flour used. Cakes made with all purpose flour tend to be less delicate and crumbly.)

 

[YT2095]

Gretchen, thnx for the tip about the cornflour for pastry flour, I never knew that, and since I often make my own flour, That kinda thing is Very handy to know!

Have some good Karma, that info`s invaluable to me

 

[Shaheen]

Thanks everyone!!

 

[Chronos70]

How to tell the difference?

Hi everyone just joined today.

Have a question that I hope will be on track with this thread.

I have a container of "flour" that's all it says on the outside, is there anyway to tell what kind it is? e.g. Self-rising flour or general purpose flour. I'd like to know before I use it for some cookies and they end up being little fluffy cakes.

TIA

Chronos70 - Now where did I put that Hour-Glass...

 

[boufa06]

In case you have purchased it, it's better to go back to the source to find out. However, if you have got it from someone else and it's not properly labelled, you are better off throwing it away.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Generally if a bag just says "flour" then it is going to be all-purpose flour. Since all other types of flour are "specialty" flours (cake, pastry, bread, self-rising, etc.) they will be specifically labeled.