Know more about flours: what are the differences? | Alfa Forni (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between wheat flours? ›

Hard red and hard white wheat is best for yeast breads. Soft wheat is best used in cakes, pastries and other baked goods, as well as crackers and cereal. Durum wheat is the hardest of all wheat and makes the best pasta. This information will explain the different types of flour and how they are best used.

Why are There Different Types of Flour for Baking? Different types of wheat contain varying levels of protein, and when milled make ideal flours for different baking purposes. Soft wheat has less protein and makes the best pastries and cakes, while hard wheat has more protein and is perfect for producing yeasted bread.

Soft wheat berries have a lower protein content and a higher moisture content than hard wheat berries. The lower protein content results in less gluten, which is perfect for non-yeast recipes (think quick breads, cookies, cakes, biscuits, brownies, etc.).

Thus, whole wheat flour is widely considered healthier. It's a good source of protein, fiber, and a variety of vitamins and minerals. As it contains gluten, it isn't appropriate for people with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

Flours: barley, bean, buckwheat, carob, coconut, corn, gram, ground nut (e.g. peanut, almond), lentil, millet, oat, pea, potato, rice, soya, teff, tapioca.

Elevated Nutrition: Commercial mills remove 30 percent of the wheat kernel, removing the most nutritious part of the grain to make white flour. Milling your own flour not only ensures that your flour is as nutritious as it can be, but it also has a wonderful taste that is lost to commercially made whole-grain flour.

Whole wheat is better than just simple wheat flour because it is a grain complete with bran, husk and endosperm. The husk and bran are removed in many types of wheat flours, stripping them of many nutrients, dietary fibres, minerals and vitamins.

Whole wheat flour often has more flavor than bread flour or all-purpose flour because of the flavor that comes from the bran and germ, both of which are sifted out of all-purpose and bread flour.

Wheat flours are milled from hard wheat, soft wheat or a combo: Hard wheat has a higher protein content for strong gluten bonds, ideal for making pasta and loaves of bread; soft wheat has a lower protein content that turns out light and tender baked goods, like biscuits and cakes.

What is the difference between all-purpose flour and flour? ›

White flour is made from only the endosperm of wheat grains , while all - purpose flour is a combination of the endosperm , germ , and bran . This means that all - purpose flour contains more nutrients and fiber compared to white flour .

While bread flour is the best option, it can sometimes be used if you don't have bread flour. “Check the protein content,” advises Chef Jürgen, since it can vary from brand to brand, and an all-purpose flour that contains protein on the higher end of the range, 12 to 13 percent, will produce a better outcome.

White flour is made from the endosperm only. Brown flour includes some of the grain's germ and bran, while whole grain or wholemeal flour is made from the entire grain, including the bran, endosperm, and germ. Germ flour is made from the endosperm and germ, excluding the bran.

Soft wheat's higher-moisture content means you can't do a 1 to 1 substitute. Instead you need to increase your freshly milled soft wheat flour by ¼ cup for every 1 cup of flour in the recipe. So if the recipe calls for 1 cup of all-purpose flour (or pastry), increase the flour to 1 ¼ cups of freshly milled.

Whole-wheat flour is made from hard red spring or winter wheat, which has a nutty, hearty taste. White whole-wheat flour is made from hard white spring or winter wheat, which has the exact same nutritional value of whole-wheat flour, but because of the variety used, has a milder flavor and paler color.