What type of flour do you buy?

gracetillman

I am out of flour and I am trying to figure out what type I should buy now that I have revamped my eating habits and trying to focus on more whole foods in healthy sized portions. I do enjoy baking, although I haven't done so since I have changed my eating habits. I do not have a problem with gluten (that I know of and I would imagine that is something I would know).

I primarily have been using flour as called for in recipes, but I would like to get back to making "fresh baked" desserts for my family. I don't know if "whole wheat" flour or "sprouted flour" would be suitable for those purposes. I don't mind buying more than one kind of flour if some are better than others for specific purposes. My concern was buying more of the bleached all purpose white flour -- I would think there is something better.

Jaulen

I bake a lot. Baking is chemistry in the kitchen. (that's why some recipies can be straight doubled, some can't)

I use unbleached all purpose flour.

Generally you can't substitute 100% ww flour or the like for the all purpose flour in baking and keep all the other ingredients the same. I usually substitue some of the all purpose flour with WW, up to 1/4 per cup of all purpose.

Try making a batch of brioche for cinnamon rolls with all WW flour and keeping the rest of the recipe the same.....you'll get a brick. Or a pie crust.....*shudder*

And some things should just be left alone with no WW flour added.....like snickerdoodles.

socajam

I am out of flour and I am trying to figure out what type I should buy now that I have revamped my eating habits and trying to focus on more whole foods in healthy sized portions. I do enjoy baking, although I haven't done so since I have changed my eating habits. I do not have a problem with gluten (that I know of and I would imagine that is something I would know).

I primarily have been using flour as called for in recipes, but I would like to get back to making "fresh baked" desserts for my family. I don't know if "whole wheat" flour or "sprouted flour" would be suitable for those purposes. I don't mind buying more than one kind of flour if some are better than others for specific purposes. My concern was buying more of the bleached all purpose white flour -- I would think there is something better.

I use King Arthur whole wheat flour (both 100% whole wheat and the white whole wheat). It is a little more expensive, but you get what you pay for. I also use their organic whole wheat and its the best (to me).

JisatsuHoshi

Carbquik, almond & coconut flours

RM10003

I have a rapidly growing collection of flours in my pantry: unbleached all purpose, white whole wheat, whole wheat, whole wheat pastry, rye..... Just depends on what I'm baking. As PP have said, I don't generally use a different flour than how the recipe is written.

If you really want to do whole grain for desserts I suspect whole wheat pastry flour could be the way to go, although personally I'd look for recipes that called for it, rather than just subbing in.

MallorieGreiner

Whole wheat for pancakes, crepes, and muffins.

Unbleached all purpose for cookies, cakes, brownies, and everything else.

neanderthin

Unbleached AP and Tipo 00 for pasta.

crevices

i only have whole wheat/only use whole wheat with basically everything so

Carnivor0us

I use coconut flour on occasion.

gracetillman

Thank you for your input!!

I think it will be trial and error to figure out what works in certain recipes. I like the idea of substituting some whole wheat flour for the regular all purpose flour to increase the fiber and overall "health" of the dish. I know some stuff is just going to stay on the slightly indulgent side of the food pyramid, but at least I know there are no preservatives, additives, chemicals, or other mystery ingredients!!

BarackMeLikeAHurricane

Coconut.

Only coconut flour. Never using wheat flour again. Coconut is so bomb.

EDesq

Spelt, Kamut, (Amaranth or Quinoa if you need Gluten Free).

ecdce

I would say, with the exception of very substantial desserts like muffins, you can't substitute whole wheat flour entirely in dessert recipes. In my opinion, any way. I've had good luck with half whole wheat flour and half unbleached in denser cookies and things with texture. I stupidly tried to make a pie crust (for thanksgiving dinner, no less) entirely out of whole wheat flour. It was gritty and dense and dry and disgusting. For anything that needs to be light or delicate, skip the whole wheat.

I've had great luck with almond flour in dessert recipes. It has a lovely taste and the texture is much more pleasant, to me, in desserts than whole wheat. The price tag could make you cry, however. A 5 lb bag of flour costs a couple of dollars, whole wheat or not; a 1 lb bag of almond flour cost me $11. For me and my budget, that's firmly in the once-in-a-while price range.

I've learned my lesson and don't mess with the flour much anymore, with the exception of using all purpose when it calls for bread flour, but that's hardly living in the edge. Instead, I make other substitutions. Mashed avocado, all natural apple sauce, or cooked pears, mashed bananas, or Greek yogurt in place of vegetable oil or butter. Adding things likely to go unnoticed, like finely ground flax meal to cookies or brownies (you may have to up the moisture a bit). I also sometimes add oatmeal to replace some of the flour, but again, it really works best for things that are supposed to taste kind of dense. I don't add full sugar, either, unless the sugar plays another role other than sweetening. Try cutting the sugar by a third, then slowly reducing it to an half of the original amount. You'll adjust to it being less sweet, but definitely add extra flavour to compensate, like extra vanilla or cinnamon. You can also add veggies to things that are OK moist. Zucchini, squash, and carrots (grated) or pumpkin and sweet potato (cooked thoroughly and mashed) n be added to brownies, muffins, some cakes, and some breads.

My sister old me recently that, for brownies and things that are good with a fudgy or chewy texture, you can replace the flour with pureed black beans. She said she'd been told you can replace all of the flour, but experiment at your own risk :-)

RM10003

I don't add full sugar, either, unless the sugar plays another role other than sweetening. Try cutting the sugar by a third, then slowly reducing it to an half of the original amount. You'll adjust to it being less sweet, but definitely add extra flavour to compensate, like extra vanilla or cinnamon.

Good advice--I always reduce sugar in baked goods by at least a third (Mom taught me this as a kid and it has never done me wrong).

cactus589

I use almond flour. It is more expensive than wheat flour, but it also has more protein, fat and nutrients, and less carbs.

This website has a wealth of recipes using almond flour: http://www.elanaspantry.com/

The recipes are all gluten free, and even though I don't avoid gluten, I find the recipes tasty (and easy).

jsd_135

Thank you for your input!!

I think it will be trial and error to figure out what works in certain recipes. I like the idea of substituting some whole wheat flour for the regular all purpose flour to increase the fiber and overall "health" of the dish. I know some stuff is just going to stay on the slightly indulgent side of the food pyramid, but at least I know there are no preservatives, additives, chemicals, or other mystery ingredients!!

For quick breads and muffins, I substitute 1/3 of the all-purpose flour (unbleached) with WW flour. Great flavor and still good texture. (I also add wheat germ and ground flaxseed.) For cookies, cakes, pancakes, pie crusts, etc., I stick to the recipe and generally don't seek out versions with WW. I don't see the point in (marginally) "healthing up" a cookie, or any other dessert. They're meant to be delicious, not virtuous.