How to Choose the Right Flour for Baking

There are several types of flour at the local grocery store. They are not all the same, and using the wrong flour in your baking recipe can result in a baking disaster. Here is a brief analysis of the types of flour you might use to bake with.

Bread flour - Bread flour is made from wheat flour and is responsible for raising your bread and giving it texture. There is one main use for bread flour, and that is to make bread.

Cake flour - This form of flour is very fine and is high in starch, allowing it to help set baked goods and help raise them slightly. This flour is most commonly used in the preparation of cakes.

Buckwheat flou r- Buckwheat flour is from buckwheat plants and is primarily used in baking because it is gluten free. There are no set usages for this form of flour. Rather it serves as a replacement for other flours for bakers who are gluten intolerant.

Self-rising flour - Flour that is self-rising is different from all other flours in that it contains a certain amount of salt already, and does not have much protein. It is not to be used with any yeast products, and is most commonly seen in the baking of biscuits.

Pastry flour - Pastry flour is most closely related to all-purpose flour, and can yield flakiness to any products that it is baked with. Of the most common are pie crusts, biscuits, and of course pastries.

All-purpose flour - Most bakers are under the impression that all-purpose flour is suitable for all baked goods, and while there is some truth to this, all-purpose flour does have specific uses. It is produced in bleached and unbleached forms and is made of wheat. It can be used in cookies, pancakes, yeast, and more.

Now that you have a basic understanding of the types of flour and their uses, how do you decide which flour is the right flour for your baking needs? Simply reading a little more into your recipe, or using the flour recommendations can offer you some insight as to which is appropriate for your baked good.

Next time you are attempting to bake something from a recipe, double check that there are no requirements or suggestions as to what form of flour should be used. If there are recommendations it is best to follow them to ensure the final success of your product. If there are no suggestions or requirements as to which flour is appropriate, you should then use your basic understanding of flour and which ones work best with your baking need at the time. For example, if you are making bread and are unsure of what type of flour to use you can choose between a bread flour, a buckwheat flour (if that is your preference), or all-purpose flour.

Finally, if you are unsure as to what flour works best for what baked item, and there are no recipe suggestions, your safest bet is to use all-purpose flour. It is the only flour that will not have drastic implications in the event that you are using the wrong flour for your dessert or bread.




Criss White is a professional article writer for My Baby Shower Favors and an avid baker who enjoys baking cakes and cookies. To check out some holiday cookies or some birthday cookies, visit My Baby Shower Favors.