Knowing the difference between flours: whole wheat vs white (all purpose or bread) is nooooooooot that simple, and its something we don’t really know about into you’ve gotten deep into bread baking.
You’ve probably learned it the hard way haha by some horrible baking fails, so hopefully this post will help you realize that all of them are different!
Not only they differ between whole wheat and white, you can find different varieties of wheat. Different brands also process their’s differently so its even more tricky!
What is the most important concept you need to know about flour?
All of them are different! therefore they have different characteristics. Not only flavorwise but they behave differently.
Don’t forget this: ALL FLOURS BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY.
That said…
Can you substitute flours in a recipe?
I wouldn’t recommend it! just stick with the one the recipe you are doing calls. Why? because it has been tested using specifically that -flour- so if you use another one 99% of the times you won’t get the result you expect.
What are my favorite brands?
Uff that is a tough question! but it depends… because there are 2 worlds in the flour universe:
- Store bought
- Fresh milled
If I had to pick a store bought brand I would absolutely recommend: King Arthur flour
If I had to pick fresh milled I can’t recommend enough our local mill that ships nationwide: Castle Valley Mill
I’ve been to the mill, seen the process, so I know how thorough and a good job they do. I trust them 100%!
To start understanding flours… check out my video below!
I prepared the below video so you can see how they are born. This will give you the basis to understand how flours are different… and it will allow me to know you are ready for PART 2 of this Intro to Flours.
What did you just learn?
Flours have different components… and in this video I showed the 2 main components flours have.
What did I use to be able to separate the -flour-?
I used my absolutely amazing KOMO MILL, that I purchased at Pleasant Hill Grain here. I unscrewed the hopper and inserted the Sifter attachment.
Do you have any questions? comment below!
To check part 2 of this Intro to -Flours-…. stay tuned and make sure to follow me on Instagram as I will post it there once its ready!
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Want to learn more about sourdough? check out my online Sourdough Class & Kit (nationwide shipping)
