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New home, new pantry, new love for baking, actually, a re-newed love for baking. However, there seem to be so many different kinds of flours in all the different recipes Ive been collecting!
Would someone be willing to share with me what I should keep stocked in the pantry as a general rule. I mean are all-purpose and cake or bread flour interchangeable? Do I want to get bleach or unbleached? Self-rising? I dont have/use a bread machine, if that makes a difference.
And, are they all available at the local Kroger or will I have to go to some special supermarket for some. Im not aware of any Whole Foods nearby and I know we don't have a Trader Joes in TX. There is an HEB nearby and Ive read some great things about them, not sure if they would carry all the various types.
The differences have to do with protein levels, they are NOT interchangeable.
Bread flour has the most protein, then all-purpose, then cake flour. Cakes made with cake flour have a more delicate crumb than cakes made with all-purpose.
I believe bleached or unbleached is a personal choice. Self-rising is all-purpose with baking powder in it (don't quote me on that, but it's something like that ).
I'm not much of a baker, but I have all-purpose and cake flour in the pantry. I bought them both at Kroger.
I like King Arthur flours. I use whole wheat flour and bread flour mixed for bread and pizza crusts. I use all purpose (unbleached) mixed with whole wheat for baking. Hope that helps. I don't use self rising flours. I'm not sure why, but I just do the yeast thing. Warm your water in the microwave following the temps. If water is too hot it will kill the yeast and too cold the yeast won't thrive. I think the temp of the water is key for bread making.
OP: it all depends on what you like to bake. I am pretty much in your situation--a love for baking, a love for the kitchen, and no bread machine. The constants in my pantry are:
-Bleached all purpose flour
-Whole wheat flour
-Bread flour
That's really all you need. I had a small sack of self rising and cake flour from about a year ago and they're still not used up. Whereas the other three types of flours, I re-purchase about every month or so.
It's much healthier for not only the environment but yourself to buy unbleached flour. There is little or no difference in the final colour of the product. What your flour, especially your whole wheat flour doesn't go rancid on you due to high temperatures in your home. Smell your flour before you use it and if it doesn't smell "clean" pitch it out. Nothing worse than spending all that time, energy and money on ingredients baking when it turns out that your flour is off.
I keep all-purpose, whole wheat and bread flours. The whole wheat can go bad quickly, so I keep it in the freezer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Homewardbound66
I'm not sure why, but I just do the yeast thing. Warm your water in the microwave following the temps. If water is too hot it will kill the yeast and too cold the yeast won't thrive. I think the temp of the water is key for bread making.
This is true. However, there is another option - instant yeast (not to be confused with rapid-rise yeast). It comes in a vacuum-sealed bag (like coffee), and can be stored in the freezer for up to two years. The great thing about instant yeast is that it can be added directly to dry ingredients; you don't have to hydrate it in warm water first. I wasn't able to find it in any store, so I ordered it from King Arthur Flour.
BTW Kate, there's a Whole Foods at Westheimer and Wilcresst. It's not in Katy, but not too far, either - just in case you're looking for one.
As stated by another poster, the amount of protein in flour determines its use. High protein flour is best for yeast breads while low protein flours are better for cake. What you should stock in your pantry depends on what you cook the most. Here's a link to a site that lists the various types of flour and their uses:
A good book to read is "Cookwise" by Shirley Corriher. It has a great section on baking and explains the scientific aspects of what occurs as well as giving good practical advice. This book is also used by cooking schools.
All purpose unbleached white flour, aluminum free baking powder, granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, baking soda....all basic essentials. Also, staples like vanilla extract (& any other extracts you may use or like), chocolate chips, baking chocolates (semi-sweet, unsweetened, bittersweet---depending on what you're baking), salt, and unsalted butter (for the fridge). A roll of parchment paper, or those new silicone baking sheets for cookies; shortening; muffin cups for cupcakes or muffins; canola oil or vegetable oil; yeast. Lately I've been getting into organics, which are more expensive. I just bought whole wheat pastry flour (for cookies, cakes, muffins, etc) and have replaced eggs with a product called "Ener-G" (in a box in the baking aisle), and have bought Turbinado sugar, which is all natural, to replace the granulated (white) sugar. I'm just getting into the newer vegan type recipes. Made some muffins with egg replacer and soymilk the other day and they turned out moister than many I've done in the past.
Here's another flout that I use a lot. It is spelt flour. Instead of me explaing what it is - here is the scoop right from a good source:
Spelt is similar to wheat in appearance. However, spelt has a tougher husk than wheat, which may help protect the nutrients in spelt. Spelt flour has a somewhat nuttier and slightly sweeter flavor than whole wheat flour. Spelt contains more protein than wheat, and the protein in spelt is easier to digest. This means that some people who are allergic to wheat may be able to tolerate spelt. Spelt has gluten, just like wheat, so spelt is not suitable for a gluten-free diet.
Now, here is how I use it. In bread making, I use a proportion of about 3/4 to 2/3 spelt and the rest regular flour. It is a denser texture and that is what we like (I'm not a big fan of the pure white spongy type bread).
If you like scones, spelt flour in the same proportion is also great. I buy it at the regular supermarket.
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