Wheat flour in cookery
Mrs Chendu had it all planned out, meal timetable, reading timetable and the likes. There’s no wasted time in her home. So one Saturday evening, she had to grind beans for akara but heavy rain started so she couldn’t go. It rained heavily that day. And the family expectations of having delicious moi moi for dinner were put on hold.
If Mrs Chendu had had bean flour at home, the breakfast wouldn’t have been put on hold.
Flour plays a very essential role in a family diet. It’s the major ingredient in confectionery.
Flour found usage in numerous food products like bread, pastry, and cakes, soups, sauces and batters.
Where is flour made from
Flour can be made from any dried food crop like cereals, legumes, roots and tuber.
Different examples of flour
- Bean flour
- Yam flour
- Wheat flour
- Cassava flour
- Plantain flour
- Corn flour
All these flour examples are used in preparing different delicacies using different methods.
Common misconception
Is that some of these flour if not all can be used in baking? Now listen, to use them to bake cookies, buns, meat pie. Maybe yes. But the final product won’t come out nice. Some have argued that cassava flour, maize or Bambara nut flour can be used in baking bread. Wow! I have tried to clarify this particular idea among some people.
The only flour that meets the required specification for baking is wheat flour and rye flour.
Do you know why?
The reason is this. They both contain gluten, a vital component of flour that brings about the rising/leavening of baked products.
This means that any flour products that do not contain gluten can not be risen/leaven.
Food Scientists had a work around for this, with the introduction of composite flour
Composite flour
This is a flour mixture that consists of wheat flour and another flour. Wheat flour in composite flour has the highest quantity about 70%-80%. While the other flour only takes 20%-30%.
Yet not all food companies use composite flour except those that have special needs for it. In general, the flour use in baking is wheat flour
The focus of the article will be on wheat flour.
Components of wheat flour
- Endosperm
- Bran
- Germ
The bran is the multilayered outer part of wheat which is dense in fiber, phytochemicals, antioxidants and vitamin B complexes, iron, magnesium and zinc.
The germ is the part that is responsible for growth and sprouting when wheat is planted. It’s rich in nutritious and healthy fats, B vitamins and vitamin E, antioxidants, and phytochemicals
The endosperm is the innermost and main part of wheat. It has the greatest percentage.
After milling wheat the endosperm is the part that is remaining. It’s packed with starch, protein and a few vitamins. The insoluble gluten protein in endosperm makes the flour to be into sticky dough once mixed with water.
Types of wheat flour mixtures
- Hard wheat flour
Hard wheat has a high volume of protein content (gluten), 12-14%. It is made from wheat with a very hard and brittle endosperm. This type of wheat is used mainly for producing bread.
- All-purpose/General purpose flour
Just like the name, this type of flour is used for all types of cooking.
- Cake flour
Cake flour has smooth granules with low protein content (gluten).
- Self-raising flour
I know you must have come across this term, right? This type of wheat flour contains baking soda and salt. Hence it’s not used for making yeast bread. It can be used for preparing plain cakes and scones.
- Soft wheat flour
It contains 8-12% protein content. It is used basically for making products that do not require rising to a very high volume. Like pie crust, cakes, and cookies.
