Flour is the most basic item you need for preparing any baked product. But do you know that each baked product needs different types of flour to bring out that irresistible charm in a dish?
Here, we will discuss the significance of flour in baking and the various types of flour being used in the country to make bakery products.
What is flour?
Grains, seeds, or roots are thoroughly ground into a fine powder, which is known by the name of flour to us. Different types of flour exist in India, two of which are generally used in almost any carbohydrate food cooked at home:
- Refined flour
- Wheat flour.
Since normal refined flour undergoes a process of extreme grinding to get the finest powder possible, it loses many nutrients. So it is not a very healthy option for baking to consume, especially with kids or the elderly at home. Now, the majority of the population opts for wheat flour, which binds the goodness of nutrients with a delicious taste.
However, aside from wheat flour, there are various types of flour, such as rice, corn, almond, and others. Every type of baking flour possesses distinct characteristics and flavours, that are very crucial for one’s baking. But the differences apart, all of them act as the main building blocks of your baked product.
Why Do We Need Flour for Baking?
Flour is the foundation of baking ingredients for a reason. If you change the flour in a baking recipe, it affects the whole texture, structure, and flavour of the food. So flour, the most critical element, is our first priority in baking.
Flour is responsible for the following factors in baking:
- Structure & Strength
Flour contains gluten, a network of proteins required to trap the gas for the dough to rise and give a fluffy structure to the bake. Bread and chewy baked products need this gluten to gain the proper texture.
- Absorption of Liquids
Flour has the amazing ability to absorb water, fat, or any other kind of liquid, forming a thick batter or dough with the right consistency for a sturdy bread dough or a delicate cake batter.
- Thickening Agent
You use a thickener like flour in some add-on recipes like sauce or custard to get a better taste.
- Texture and Tenderness
The texture of a pastry can be determined depending on the nature of the flour in use and the quantity of gluten available. For instance, cake flour, which is a low-gluten flour, is used to prepare soft, light cakes, while high-gluten flour, such as bread flour, is used in making baked products that require a tough, chewy texture.
- Flavour
We can add a nutty or slightly sweet taste to mild flavoured flours for yummy cakes or cookie preparations. The whole grain flour works wonders in this.
Various types of flour in India
Flour can be of various types. Different baked goods desire different unique qualities, which are imparted by certain types of flour. So, it is very important to know how many types of flour are in the store and which specific bakes they are used for.
1. All-Purpose Flour
With a moderate protein constituency of 10-12%, all-purpose flour is a versatile choice for most baking recipes. Since it is a blend of both hard and soft wheat, this flour is proof of an excellent balance between gluten strength and tenderness.
All-purpose flour excels in offering a reliable texture and structure to baked goods, and so it is used for the following:
- Cakes
- Cookies
- Muffins, doughnuts, biscuits
- Pastries
- Pies
- Bread material for fish, meat, or vegetables.
- Thickening agent for gravy and sauce
2. Whole Wheat Flour
Among all other types of wheat flour, only whole wheat flour is made of an entire wheat kernel. It includes bran, germ, and endosperm, which incorporates a high protein content of 13–14% in the flour. Whole wheat flour also has fiber and many nutrients in it. This provides a dense texture and nutty flavour in heavier baked goods.
This flour is ideal for baking hearty baked products like
- Bread
- Rolls and pasta
- Pancakes
- Bagels
- Cookies and crackers
- Pizza dough
- Crust of pie and tart
3. Cake Flour
Cake flour is made from soft wheat and contains a low protein content of 6–8%. The fine powdery form of cake flour is absolutely necessary to make your baked products airy and light.
If you want to make a baked dish where delicacy is your priority, then using low-gluten cake flour will make the crumbs tender. Cake flour is used in
- Cocoa cakes
- Doughnuts
- Sponge cakes
- Chiffon cakes
- Brownies
- Pancakes and Waffles
4. Pastry Flour
Pastry flour is derived from soft wheat and has less protein content than cake flour, about 8-10%. Pastry flour provides that fine, tender texture to baked goods but with more structure than cake flour.
If your baked goods need the right balance of tenderness and crispness, then you can use pastry flour to make delicate and flaky treats. For example,
- Danish
- Croissants
- Baklava
- Sweet and savory pie
- Tarts
- Cinnamon rolls
- Biscuits
5. Self-Rising Flour
This is a mixture of all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. This combo acts brilliantly as a leavening agent and eliminates the need for separate baking powder in recipes.
Self-rising flour is used mostly in making:
- Biscuits & Scones
- Pancakes & muffins
- Quick Bread
6. High-Gluten Flour
This is the strongest flour in terms of gluten content. Made from hard wheat, this flour contains 14-15% protein, and we get the elastic, stretchy dough perfect for chewy, sturdy baked goods.
High-gluten flour can be used for baked products like
- Bagels
- Pasta
- Doughnuts and Hand-raised pies
7. Gluten-Free Flour
Flour produced without gluten contains starch from several grains, such as rice, and nuts, such as almonds or tubers, like potatoes. Since it’s gluten-free, aside from the absence of gluten, other binders are usually added, such as xanthan gum and/or guar gum, to help provide the structure that gluten would have provided.
Celiac or gluten-sensitive individuals use gluten-free flour and may, however, be adaptable, and gluten-free flour used in such recipes may necessitate some changes to be able to achieve the expected texture.
8. Barley Flour
Made from the ground grain of barley, barley flour has reasonable amounts of proteins yet lower amounts of gluten when compared to wheat. It has a clean yet faintly nutty taste because of its high protein content and is mostly used with other flour types to add moisture. Because of the high amounts of fiber found in barley flour, it can also be used for unleavened bread and dense muffins.
This is used in baked products like
- Multigrain bread, Quick bread
- Bagels, Crackers
- Cookies, Muffins
- Thickener for soup, stew, sauce and gravy
9. Rye Flour
Rye flour is ground from rye grains and has lower gluten than wheat flour but is higher in fiber, producing a dense, moist texture. Its strong, earthy flavour is a signature of traditional European bread like pumpernickel. Rye flour is typically blended with other flours to create a balanced dough with more lift.
This flour is used to make
- Pumpernickel bread
- Rye bread
- Marble Rye bread
- Sourdough starter
Is there any need for using so many different types of flour for baking?
In the world of baking, flour plays a very important role, as there are many different types of flour, with each type containing a given percentage primarily of protein (gluten), which in turn determines the outcome of your final dish.
Let’s take for instance, the type of flour used in bread is known as bread flour; it has a lot of gluten in it, which is the reason why breads baked with this type of flour are typically elastic and strong.
In contrast, cake flour contains less gluten, hence we get spongy, delicate cakes. All-purpose flour is the best and most practical solution, suitable for many types of reconstituted baked products.
Also, remember? We have exclusive flour, such as whole wheat or almond one, which add their own flavours and textures into the baking processes. Choosing the right flour is the secret to getting exactly the results you want in your baked goods!
How do you decide which flour you need for baking?
Finding the correct flour for your baked treat is the primary step to success because half the taste of baked goods is imparted from the goodness of the dough. So try to follow the recipe for each baked item.
This is the best baking hack for flour for a beginner or experienced baker. But if you feel recalling so many types of flour is very difficult for you, don’t worry.
You can take the help of baking and pastry classes at Whitecaps. Their expert faculties explain the art and science of baking in the simplest terms, paving your way for definite success in the baking world.
