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Wondering how to use flour in baking? Flour is one of the most important ingredients when it comes comes to making delectable baked goods. You can’t just put any old thing into a recipe and expect it to turn out well. Baking requires a lot of specific things, and using the right type of flour is one of them. When you have the right amount of quality, fresh ingredients and all-purpose flours, you’ll end up with some pretty phenomenal baked goods. However, if your efforts don’t have anything to do with quality… well, the results won’t be that stellar. That’s why we’re going to teach you everything you need to know about using flour in baking so that you can get cracking on those delicious treats as soon as possible!
What Is Flour?
Flour is the leavening agent in baked goods. It’s also used for sculpting and for dusting, in addition to a variety of other purposes. You can find it in both all-purpose and high-gluten varieties, with the latter being used for making breads, cakes, and pastries. Flour is made by grinding the starchy endosperm of grains. It can be wheat flour, which is the most commonly used flour in baking, but there are many others, like corn, rice, oat and rye. Not all flours are the same and the kind you’re using will depend on the recipe you’re following.
How to Use Flour in Baking
Although it’s not necessary to specify which type of flour you’re using, you can add a note if you like. Just make sure to specify whether you’re using all-purpose or high-gluten flour. This will help the baker know what type of recipe to use the flour for and what the differences between the two types of flour are. Like with most things baking, the quality of the ingredients you use will be far more important than the type of flour you use. However, you can re-create a high-quality baked good with all-purpose flour. You’ll just need to adjust the quantities and techniques to suit your needs.
Tips for Using Flour in Baking
- Buy the best quality flour you can find – this will make a big difference. At the very least, make sure it’s either wholemeal or white flour.
- Calculate the amount of flour you need to use in each recipe so that you can be sure to get the right results. The exact amount will depend on the recipe, but you should aim to have approximately 1.5 times the amount of liquid as the flour. If the recipe only calls for half a cup of flour, you should have at least a 1.5 cup measure ready.
- To get the best results, always store flour in an airtight container. This will keep the flour fresh and prevent it from going stale.
- Make sure to use the flour straight from the container, or from the same week that you bought it.
- Put flour in a bag instead of a container to make it easier to store and transport.
- If you’re not sure how to use it in your next recipe, try substituting it for something else. If the baked good still turns out great, you can just use the flour for the next time.
- Be creative and experiment with other flours. You can use sourdough, buckwheat, and even salt as flours!
- Get creative with your spices, too
- they can be used in place of some of the flour in a recipe.
Hard vs. Soft Flours
There are two main types of flour – all-purpose and high-gluten. All-purpose is the more commonly used flour, and it’s made from hard wheat. It’s not a whole lot different from soft wheat, and it’s used for making breads and pastries that require a softer texture. High-gluten flour is a higher-quality version of all-purpose flour, and it’s used for making breads and pastries with a more pronounced rise. There are also other types of flour that you might come across – you can read more about them on our yeast bread article.
Which Flours to Use and Why
All-purpose Flour
- This is the most commonly used flour and it’s made from hard wheat. It’s suitable for most recipes and it’s what most bakers use.
High-Gluten Flour
- This is another type of flour that is used to make breads and pastries with a more pronounced rise. It’s also suitable for making pizza, as it’s used to add elasticity. Corn Flour – This is made from corn, and it’s used in many varieties of Mexican baking. It can be used in place of regular wheat flour in some recipes.
Rice Flour
- This is a common ingredient for gluten-free bakers and it’s ideal for making Asian-themed baked goods. You can also use it in place of white flour in some recipes. Sourdough Flour – This is another type of flour used for making bread, and it has a sour flavor. It’s quite hard, so it’s best used in recipes where a strong rise is desired.
When to Use Instant Dry or Conventional Flour
All-purpose flour is the better option in most cases, but you might come across recipes that specifically call for instant dry or conventional flour. Some people prefer using those types of flours to make certain baked goods, like scones and pancakes. You might also come across recipes that call for using both types of flour. In this situation, you can use either one, but it’s best to use the recipe as it instructs and not just substitute one for the other.
Conclusion
Flour is one of the most important ingredients when it comes to making baked goods. You can’t just put any old thing into a recipe and expect it to turn out well. Baking requires a lot of specific things, and using the right type of flour is one of them. When you have the right amount of quality, fresh ingredients and all-purpose flours, you’ll end up with some pretty phenomenal baked goods. However, if your efforts don’t have anything to do with quality… well, the results won’t be that stellar. That’s why we’re going to teach you everything you need to know about using flour in baking so that you can get cracking on those delicious treats as soon as possible!
