Flour types-bread flour, cake flour, wheat flour...

As promised in the last post...here’s more info on additional types of flour.

Bread flour- Bread flour is specially formulated for yeast bread baking. Bread flour has a higher protein content (12-14%) than all-purpose flour. This higher gluten content causes yeast breads to rise higher and gives the bread a full, round shape.

Cake flour- Is made from soft wheat flour and has a velvety, fine texture. Cake flour is used when making fancy cakes, biscuits, and cookies. Your baked goods will be especially light and tender when using this flour.

Tip: Make your own cake flour- If you have no cake flour on hand you can mix up an acceptable substitute. Take 3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour and add two tablespoons of cornstarch. Mixed together this equals one cup of cake flour.

Whole Wheat flour- Whole wheat flour is made from the whole wheat berry- the bran, germ, and endosperm. It adds a slightly nutty flavor to baked goods.

Whole wheat flour is less refined and so is healthier. It’s a great way to add whole grains to your diet.

Whole wheat flour is best used in combination with all-purpose flour in a half and half blend. For example, if your recipe calls for one cup of all-purpose flour use half the amount in whole wheat flour (1/2 cup).

Using whole wheat flour alone in a recipe will create a denser, heavier baked good. Use this flour by itself only when the recipe requests it.

Unbleached flour- Unbleached flour is just that, unbleached. It has not been chemically treated to make it white like bleached flour. It’s slightly less white than bleached flour, so your baked goods will have an off-white, creamy color but they will still taste the same.

A bonus: Unbleached flour has more protein content than bleached flour.
Bleached and unbleached flour can be used interchangeably.

Organic flour- Organic flour is certified organic and is sold unbleached. It can be used interchangeably with other flour types.

Flour recipes- Most baked goods such as breads, cakes, muffins, and cookies require flour as a main ingredient. Here's a yummy recipe for bakery-style blueberry muffins using all-purpose flour.

For info on all-purpose flour and self-rising flour click here. To see how to correctly measure flour click here.

Store all flour in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place for up to six months. You can also store flour in the refrigerator or freezer. Make sure to defrost it before using.

*smile*