Flour Basics and Types

Flour Basics

• The primary ingredient in baking
• Provides structure and texture to baked goods
• Wheat flour is preferred due to its gluten content

Types of Flour

• Hard Wheat
  • High protein content
  • Mainly grown in the Midwest US
• Soft Wheat
  • Lower protein content
  • Grown in the Southern US
• All-Purpose Flour (APF)
  • A blend of hard and soft wheat
  • Versatile for most baking needs
• Cake Flour
  • Fine texture and low protein content
  • Ideal for cakes, pastries
• Bread Flour
  • High protein content, strong gluten development
  • Perfect for breads, rolls, and pizza dough
• Whole Wheat Flour
  • Contains all parts of the wheat kernel (bran, endosperm, germ)
  • Adds a nutty flavor, fiber, and nutrients
• Rye Flour
  • Unique flavor and darker color
  • Used for rye bread, pastries
• Oat Flour
  • High in fiber and protein, mild flavor
  • Used for breads, pancakes, muffins
• Cornmeal
  • Coarsely ground corn
  • No gluten content
• Corn Flour
  • Finely ground corn
  • No gluten content
• Rice Flour
  • Low in protein, does not form gluten
  • Used as a substitute for wheat flour in baked goods
• Potato Starch/ Flour
  • Used in combination with other flours
  • Mild potato flavor
• Soy Flour
  • High in protein, used to boost protein content in baked goods
  • Cannot form gluten, no starch

Making Flour

• Milling
  • Process involves separating the wheat kernel's components (bran, endosperm, germ)
  • Ensures flour is free from bran specks and has a good color

Flour Properties and Characteristics

• Whitish Color
  • Affects the appearance of finished products
• Strength
  • The ability to produce a large loaf
  • Requires sufficient protein and diastatic activity for good gas retention and sugar production
• Tolerance
  • The ability to withstand processing abuse (mixing, fermentation, baking)
• High Absorption
  • The ability to hold maximum moisture in dough while delivering a quality loaf
• Uniformity
  • Consistency of flour quality across shipments

Explore the fundamentals of flour as an essential baking ingredient. Understand the various types of flour including hard, soft, all-purpose, and specialty flour options. This quiz will help you identify the unique properties and uses of each flour type in baking.