What Kind of Flour Should I Bake With?

Flour is the main ingredient in bread and other baked goods. The grocer near you probably stocks several kinds of flour. So, which one should you use for baking bread? It depends on the recipe. When in doubt, make no substitutions and the recipe should turn out alright. If the recipe calls for bread flour, don't use all-purpose flour, and vice versa.

All-purpose flour heads the list of flours that you'll find in the supermarket. It's the most popular kind because it can be used in most any recipe that simply calls for flour. Use all-purpose flour if you're not sure what kind to use.

Wheat Bread

Self-rising flour has had leavening agents and salt added during processing. Don't use the self-rising kind unless it's called for in the recipe. The additional leavening agents will make the dough rise too much. Self-rising flour tends to lose its leavening strength over time, so make sure to use it within six months of purchase. Store all flours in a dark, cool place.

During processing much of the vitamin and iron content is taken out when the wheat bran and wheat germ are removed during milling. The B vitamins and iron that were lost during processing are added back to create enriched flour. Sometimes the label doesn't use the word "enriched", but many flours do contain added vitamins and iron. Check the ingredients list for contents like niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin and folic acid. When these items are present, the flour has been enriched.

Bread flour is mainly used for baking bread. This type of flour is made from wheat that is high in protein and low in starch. The high protein content helps to form gluten, which gives the bread structure. Bread flour may be enriched. Some bread flours contain barley flour, which imparts a nutty or malty flavor to the bread.

Cake flour is typically milled from a soft wheat, which has low protein and high starch content. Due to the lower level of protein, the gluten formed with cake flour is weaker than that formed with bread flour. The resulting dough is more crumbly and tender, so cake flour is better for baking cakes.

No matter what you're baking, pay attention to the kind of flour called for in the recipe. It's important to the end result to use the right kind for the job at hand. The names make it easy to remember which kind to use. Use bread flour for making bread, cake flour for making cakes, and all-purpose flour for every day use.

What Kind of Flour Should I Bake With?

Naomi Gallagher is a writer and a fantastic cook with a love for machines that help her make the most of her time in the kitchen. Making homemade bread has become one of her specialties. Learn more by visiting her sites where she likes to write about making bread and cooking great food: http://lazysusanspicerack.com/ and http://toastmasterbreadmachine.com/.

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