Flour is generally made from wheat. It is divided into whole wheat flour. Flours include whole wheat flour, high-gluten flour, all-purpose flour (plain flour), low-gluten flour (cake flour) and gluten-free flour. Flour classification depends on the degree of refining and the protein composition.
Protein in flour
The degree of flour refining will affect the degree of protein in the flour. How much protein in the flour is related to how much the gluten is in the flour. The higher protein the flour has, the more malleable, the and elastic the resulting gluten will be. The more gluten the flour has, the more dense the texture is.
When you keep and store the flour longer, more air will go into the bag of flour. The oxygen is usually reacted with the protein of the flour. Therefore, the percentage of gluten become higher.
Members of the flour family
- Whole wheat flour – Whole wheat flour is ground from wheat and retains the same proportions of endosperm, bran and germ as the original whole grain of wheat. Protein range is about 11 – 15%. In addition, it is also rich in minerals and fiber. It is usually used to make bread or steamed buns, etc.
- Bread flour – It is ground from wheat and contains about 12% protein. It is usually used to make bread, steamed buns, fried dough sticks, etc.
- Plain flour – It is between low-gluten flour and high-gluten flour, with a protein of around 7-11%. It is usually used to make sauces, desserts, noodles, etc. In addition, people usually use the flour of this protein range to make pasta. The flour is also named as No. 00 flour. This flour is good for people to make pastries, cakes, or biscuits.
- Cake flour – The protein range in the cake flour is about 6-7%. It is usually used for making cakes etc. Self-raising flour is low-gluten flour mixed with an appropriate amount of baking powder.
- Gluten-free flour – Flour without protein can make the food which has a great viscosity and transparency. In Asia, it is often used to make dim sum and other snacks.
Cooking tips
Kneading and resting helps the dough to develop more gluten. If fermentation ingredients are added, the air in the gluten network will be increased. The more air in the gluten network, the bigger the baked bread will be.
Low-protein flour is shaped by starch which does not form gluten. It will make the texture thicker. If the roux contains cream, the starch will strengthen the air bubbles and form a cake-like appearance.
By understanding the characteristics of different flours, you can master cooking techniques more effectively and prepare different delicious vegetarian dishes more efficiently.
Note: Data about protein from “The Science Of Cooking” by Dr. Stuart Farrimond.
