Wheat

Wheat flour is a staple ingredient in many cuisines around the world, and it comes in several different subcategories. The most common wheat flour subcategories include all-purpose flour, bread flour, cake flour, and pastry flour.

All-purpose flour: This is the most versatile type of wheat flour, and it is suitable for a wide range of baking needs. It is made from a blend of hard and soft wheat, which gives it a moderate protein content (between 9% and 12%). All-purpose flour is ideal for making cookies, cakes, bread, pastries, and more.

Bread flour: This type of wheat flour is made from hard wheat, which has a higher protein content (between 12% and 14%) than all-purpose flour. The higher protein content gives bread flour its gluten-forming ability, which is necessary for making bread with a good rise and texture. Bread flour is often used in recipes that call for yeast, such as artisan bread and sourdough.

Cake flour: This type of wheat flour is made from soft wheat, which has a lower protein content (around 7% to 8%) than all-purpose flour. The lower protein content makes cake flour ideal for making delicate baked goods, such as cakes and pastries. Cake flour also has a finer texture than all-purpose flour, which helps to create a tender crumb in baked goods.

Pastry flour: This type of wheat flour falls somewhere between all-purpose flour and cake flour in terms of protein content, typically around 8% to 10%. Pastry flour is ideal for making tender, flaky pastries, such as pie crusts and biscuits.

Other subcategories of wheat flour include whole wheat flour, which is made from the entire wheat kernel and contains more fiber and nutrients than refined wheat flour, and self-rising flour, which is a blend of all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt and is often used in Southern-style baking.