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Sifting Through Flour Terms, Part 2 By Melissa J Wantuck  |
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 Continuing our series on flour and defining the various terms associated with it, this second part will look into more detail at the difference between white and whole wheat flour, what is gluten, and the different kinds of flour we use for cooking and baking. Some kinds may be familiar to you and others may be new that you might be interested in experimenting with in your future culinary practices.
White Versus Whole Wheat
The difference between white flour and whole wheat flour is simple to understand and the word “whole” provides the clue. White flour is made from part of the wheat grain, or kernel, while whole wheat is made from the entire wheat kernel.
The wheat kernel consists of three main parts: bran, endosperm and germ.
Bran
The bran is the outer shell of the wheat kernel and is rich in B vitamins and minerals.
Endosperm
The endosperm is the main part of the wheat kernel and is the part white flour is milled from. It is rich in carbohydrates and protein.
Germ
The germ is the seed and is often removed during milling because the fat in it can cause the flour to spoil sooner during storage.
When white flour is referred to, it is only the endosperm. Whole wheat flour has all three, thus the “whole” kernel is used.
Gluten
The protein in the endosperm of the wheat kernel is called gluten. When used in making bread, gluten gives bread its structure. When the dough is prepared, the elasticity is the gluten in it. When the bread is baked, the gluten allows the bread to expand without breaking. The different types of flour vary in how much gluten is in them. Flour that is referred to as soft wheat is low in gluten while hard wheat is rich in gluten. Most often, white flour is lower in gluten than whole wheat.
Now that we know the basic elements of wheat flour, we can review the different types and their most common uses.
All-purpose Flour
This is the most commonly used and well-known type of flour. It is a mixture of soft flour and hard flour so that it can be used for all types of baking needs.
Bread Flour
Its name gives away its purpose and by now you may have guessed it is hard flour, rich in gluten for baking bread.
Pastry Flour
Pastry flour is a soft flour for making baked goods like—no surprise here—pastries.
Cake Flour
Cake flour is finer and lower in gluten than pastry flour.
These four types of flour are all white flours. Cooks making finer goods, whether they’re breads, cakes, etc., will pay special attention to the type of flour they use. Whole wheat flour should not be substituted for baking as the food will not turn out properly.
The best white flour is unbleached. If you’re not making a cake or pastry, you can use whole wheat flour to improve the nutritional value of your food, such as in pancakes, breads, rolls, etc.
This has been an overview solely of wheat flour, terms associated with it, and its byproducts commonly used for cooking and baking. Wheat flour has more nutritional value in some uses over others. Keep these in mind as you maintain a healthy and well-balanced diet.
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