Some recipes may call for “all-purpose flour” (also known as “A.P.A.P. flour”), while others require plain flour. It cannot be very clear to home bakers when it comes to the terminology around flour. Here, I will help you navigate through! This article is your Flour 101 baking guide, covering everything you need to know about measuring flour, substituting it, working with flour, and more.
IS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR THE SAME AS PLAIN FLOUR?
All-purpose flour is the same as plain flour. North Americans use the term all-purpose flour, while plain flour is used more commonly in the U.K. and Australia.
What is Flour?
The flour is a powdery substance obtained from milling dried wheat grains or starchy grains. The flour made of wheat grain is also called wheat flour. However, it can also be made from rye or corn.
History of Flour
Since ancient times, flour has been a vital part of human civilization. Many people believe that ancient humans only ate vegetables and meat. Historical evidence shows that humans have made flour for around 30,000 years. In prehistoric times, people in southern Italy were believed to have been the first to produce flour with a stone mortar and pestle. Around 3000 B.C.E.E.E., the Ancient Egyptians started sifting their flour with hand sieves in order to achieve a finer texture. In the Ancient Greek’ and Roman eras, traditional mills gradually replaced the saddle stone method.
Did you know March is National Flour Month? Don’t forget to bake and take a minute to recognize flour as an important ingredient in our daily lives!
The development of flour production
Boston, in North America, was the first place to operate a windmill in 1632. In this period, the flour contained some coarse particles. The milling technology was improved in the 19th century with the use of steel rollers. This automatic method improved the quality and speed of flour milling by using only the soft endosperm. The result was finely white flour. After automation, the price of flour dropped so that almost everyone had flour at home. In the middle of the 20th century, as a result of the growing awareness of nutritional deficiencies, flour began to be enriched by iron, riboflavin, and amino acids. The end of the 20th century saw the addition of folic acids to flour. We can now enjoy wheat flour with added micronutrients. It contains carbs, protein, and fiber.
WHAT IS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
All-purpose flour, which is made of wheat grains, is a flour with a medium level of protein. The wheat grains are sifted and milled very finely until only a white powdery substance is left.
Different types of white wheat are available. Flours with high protein content (called bread or pasta flour) are best for making crusty, nutty bread and pasta. At the same time, flours with low protein content (called cake flour) are better for cakes. The industry realized that buying different types of flour wasn’t always possible, so they developed flour for (almost all) baking. This flour is known as “all-purpose” flour, abbreviated A.P.A.P. flour.
THE REGIONAL DIFFERENCES WHEN IT COMES TO ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR NAMES
The most common baking ingredient in the world is all-purpose flour. Several names know it. In international contexts, “A.P.A.P.” is often used to abbreviate all-purpose flour. All-purpose flour in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand is known as “plain flour.” In Germany, it is known as “Flour Type 55”, while in France, it is “Flour Type Type 550”. There is an Indian version called “Maida” of all-purpose flour. It is similar to cake or bread flour but contains less protein.
Why is flour white?
The majority of flour is white for three main reasons. White flour is made from the endosperm of the grain instead of the entire kernel. White flour turns white when exposed to oxygen (aging). Third, the flour may contain a chemical agent that helps speed up the “aging process.”
The white flour with a soft texture and true white color has usually been chemically bleached. The yellowish-white, on the other hand, does not contain any chemical agents that will speed up the aging process. The naturally bleached white flour (also known as unbleached) is usually yellowish.
The importance of protein in the flour
Since the protein content of each type of flour varies, so will the amount of collagen formed. Gluten will be weaker in doughs made with low-protein or no-protein flour. The more gluten in the dough, the better its structure. This is why cake requires low protein and bread needs high protein. High-protein flour is ideal for bread, Babka, and Choux pastry. Eclair, while low-protein flour, is perfect for muffins or sponge cakes. Protein content determines the strength of baked goods.
The importance of gluten in the flour
The flour is a very important component of nearly every baked good. It provides structure. The gluten is what gives structure. It happens when glutenin and gliadin (both proteins found in flour) come into contact with water. Gluten is elastic and can hold gas bubbles in the dough. The more gluten in a dough, the better it is at containing gas bubbles. This also means that bread crumbs will be open.
Types of Flour
There are many different types of flour. We will discuss the different kinds of wheat flour and their roles in baking. The different kinds of wheat flour are:
BREAD FLOUR
It is made of hard spring wheat. It is made from hard spring wheat. In the U.K.U.K., bread flour is known as hard wheat flour. This flour contains the most protein in comparison to other types of white wheat flour. Bread flour is more gluten-rich than all-purpose wheat flour. It can be used to make bagels, croissants, babkas, brioches, crusty pizzas, and breads.
CAKE FLOUR
Cake flour (also known as soft or soft winter wheat) is produced by milling soft, mild wheat. It contains less protein than other white wheat. Cake flour is lower in protein than plain flour. This means that the gluten in the dough is also smaller. This flour is ideal for delicate baked goods like pound cakes or cookies. It also works well in cakes and muffins.
PASTRY FLOUR
Pastry flour has a similar composition to cake flour but contains a higher amount of protein. Pastry flour is perfect for pastries, as its name implies. You can substitute it for cake flour when baking cookies and biscuits.
PLAIN FLOUR OR ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
All-purpose white flour is made from hard and soft wheat varieties. It’s a mix of low-protein and hard-protein wheat flour. This is the flour that you use most often in your daily life. It is a versatile flour and is used in many recipes. However, to get the best results, it is recommended that you use the flour recommended by the formula. Cake flour is used for cakes and bread flour.