Different types of flour and what they are used for

Dietitian, Retha Harmse, educates us on the different flours and what they are used for.

At a couple’s conference, the speaker mentioned that many husbands and wives are so disconnected that 85% of husbands didn’t know their wives’ favourite flower. One husband turned to his wife next to him and whispered,”It’s self-rising, isn’t it?”

All jokes aside; I laughed at the irony of the wordplay until I realised that these two words were actually derived from one another. The English word flour is originally a variant of the word flower, and both words derive from the Old French fleur or flour, which had the literal meaning blossom, and a figurative meaning the finest. The phrase fleur de farine meant the finest part of the meal since flour resulted from the elimination of coarse and undesirable matter from the grain during crushing until it resembled a fine powder.

There are many flours on the market these days, some we know very well and others with very distinct characteristics and purposes.

The protein content 

Protein content is the primary factor that varies in flours.

• High-protein wheat varieties (10-14% protein) are classed as hard wheat.
• Low-protein wheat (5-10%) are known as soft wheat.

Simply put: More protein equates to more gluten which results in more strength. More strength results in more volume and a chewier texture. High-protein flours lead to doughs that are both more elastic (stretch further) and more extensible (hold their shape better), which are desirable qualities in bread and other yeasted products where a firm structure is required, but undesirable in pastries and cakes, where the objective is flakiness or tenderness.

Types of flours

All-purpose flour 

When recipes call for flour, it’s referring to all-purpose flour. This type of flour is made from a mixture of soft and hard wheat, with moderate protein content in the 10-12% range. All-purpose flour is a pantry staple; it’s the most versatile of flours, capable of making flaky pie crusts, fluffy cookies and chewy bread.

Cake flour 

This type has the lowest protein content (5-8%). The low amount of gluten-forming proteins makes it ideal for tender baked goods, such as cakes but also muffins or scones. It’s commonly chlorinated, a bleaching process that further weakens the gluten proteins and modifies the starch content, increasing its capacity to absorb more liquid and sugar (guaranteeing a moist cake).

Pastry flour 

An unbleached flour made from soft wheat with protein levels between cake and all-purpose flour (8-9%). This type achieves the ideal balance between flakiness and tenderness, making it perfect for pies, tarts and many cookies.

Make your own pastry flour by mixing 1 ⅓ cups of all-purpose flour and ⅔ cup of cake flour together.

Bread flour 

With a protein content of 12-14%, bread flour is the strongest of all flours, delivering the most structural support. This is especially crucial in yeasted bread, where a strong gluten network is needed to contain the CO₂ gases formed during fermentation. The extra protein also results in more browning in the crust (in a process called the Maillard reaction).

Self-rising flour 

This is flour that has baking powder and salt added during the milling process. Self-rising flour is best stored tightly wrapped in its original box and used within six months of purchase. After that the baking powder in it begins to lose its strength.

Make your own self-rising flour: Mix 1 cup of pastry flour with 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of salt.

Whole wheat flour 

During grinding, the wheat kernel is separated into its three components: the endosperm, the germ and the bran. Fluctuating quantities of the germ and bran are combined back into whole wheat flour.

It’s usually high in protein, but its gluten-forming ability is altered by the bran and germ therefore tends to produce heavier, denser baked goods.

Whole wheat flour is far more perishable than white because the germ is high in oils that are prone to rancidity. For ultimate freshness: store it at cool room temperature for up to three months, then transfer it to a freezer.

Gluten-free flour 

There are numerous gluten-free flours available today, made from all sorts of grains, nuts and starches. A small proportion of xanthan gum is sometimes added to recreate or mimic the chewiness typically associated with gluten.

• Almond flour: Ground almonds. It’s low in carbohydrates, high in healthy fats and fibre. When replacing flour with almond flour, substitute it 1:1 and add more of a rising agent (like baking powder or baking soda) as needed to contain the heavier weight of the almonds.
• Bean flour: Ground dried or ripe beans. Garbanzo and fava bean flour is a combination with a high nutritional value but a strong aftertaste.
• Brown rice flour: Great significance in Southeast Asian cuisine. Edible rice paper is made from it.
• Buckwheat flour: Commonly used for pancakes all over the world (United States, Russia, Brittany in France). On Hindu fasting days (Navaratri and Maha Shivaratri), people eat cuisine made with buckwheat flour.
• Coconut flour: Made from ground coconut, it has the greatest fibre content of any flour and has a very low concentration of digestible carbohydrates therefore making an excellent choice for those who are restricting their carbohydrate intake.
• Hemp flour: Made by pressing the oil from the hemp seed and milling the residue. Hemp seed is approximately 30% oil and 70% residue. This type of flour doesn’t rise and is best mixed with other flours. Added to any flour by about 15-20%, it gives a spongy nutty texture and flavour with a green hue.
• Tapioca flour: Obtained from the root of the cassava plant (commonly used for bread, pancakes, tapioca pudding, etc).

Remember, adapting recipes is both a science and an art. Bake it till you make it!

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