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\chapter{Flour types}%
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\label{ch:flour-types}
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\begin{quoting}
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In this chapter we will have a closer look at different flour types
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and their respective categorization. We will also look at common
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ways to distinguish different flours of the same type. This way you can more confidently
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purchase the flour that you need.
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ways to distinguish different flours of the same type, this way you can more
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confidently purchase the flour you need.
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\end{quoting}
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The most basic flour type is a whole grain flour. In this case the whole seed has
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The most basic flour type is a whole grain flour, in this case the whole seed has
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been grounded to smaller pieces. Sometimes, depending on what you want to bake,
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the hearty taste of the bran might not be desired. In this case you can use
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whiter flours. With sieves, mills remove larger parts of the hull of the seed.
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The seed already contains a pre-built germ from the plant waiting to be
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whiter flours. Together with sieves, mills remove larger parts of the seed's
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hull. The seed already contains a pre-built germ from the plant waiting to be
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activated. The whitest flour you can get is mostly just the starch part of the seed.
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Depending on which layers are still present, names are used to describe the
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Depending on which layers are still present, different names are used to describe the
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type of flour.
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\begin{table}[!htb]
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@@ -26,8 +28,8 @@ type of flour.
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In Germany, the ash content is used to describe the flours. The lab will burn
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\qty{100}{\gram} of flour in the oven. Then afterwards the remaining ash is extracted
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and measured. Depending on the quantity the flour is categorized. If the flour
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is of type 405 then \qty{405}{\mg} of ash have remained after burning the
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flour. The more hull parts the flour has, the more minerals remain. So the
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is of type 405, then \qty{405}{\mg} of ash have remained after burning the
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flour. The more hull parts the flour has, the more minerals remain, therefore the
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higher the number, the closer the flour is to whole flour. The numbers are
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slightly different between each grain type. Generally though, the higher the
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value, the heartier the taste is going to be.
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@@ -43,15 +45,19 @@ If you compare different grain types, there are grains with high gluten, low glu
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and no gluten. Gluten is what enables bread to have its fluffy consistency.
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Without gluten the baked goods wouldn't have the same properties. Managing
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gluten makes the whole bread-making process more complex as more steps are involved.
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A dough without gluten doesn't have to be kneaded. Kneading creates
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A dough without gluten doesn't have to be kneaded as the role of kneading is
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to create
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the gluten bonds. The more you knead, the stronger they become. With low-gluten
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and no-gluten flours, you only have to mix the ingredients together, making
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sure you properly homogenize everything. During fermentation
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sure you properly homogenize everything.
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During fermentation
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the gluten degrades as the microorganisms metabolize it. When too much gluten
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has been converted your dough will no longer have the wheat-like structure previously
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described. For no/low gluten flour your main focus is managing acidity. You do not
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want the final bread to be too sour. You do not have to worry about the gluten
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degradation, removing a huge headache from the equation.
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described. For no/low gluten flour your main focus is managing acidity, you do not
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want the final bread to be too sour. Conversely you do not have to worry about
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the gluten degradation, removing a huge headache from the equation.
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\begin{table}[!htb]
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\begin{center}
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@@ -61,14 +67,14 @@ degradation, removing a huge headache from the equation.
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\end{center}
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\end{table}
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As gluten has a special role, the rest of this chapter is dedicated to having a
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closer look at different gluten flours and how to distinguish them. Spelt
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also contains significant amounts of gluten, so the same characteristics hold
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Because gluten has a special role, the rest of this chapter is dedicated to having a
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closer look at different gluten flours and how to distinguish them. Like wheat
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spelt contains significant amounts of gluten, so the same characteristics hold
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true.
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Several recipes call for wheat bread flour. Bread flour can refer to different types
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of flour. It could be a T405 or a T550 in Germany. This is very often
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classified incorrectly. The terms \emph{strong} or \emph{bread} flour in this case
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Several recipes call for wheat bread flour, but bread flour can refer to different types
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of flour. It could be a T405 or a T550 in Germany---this is very often
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classified incorrectly---the terms \emph{strong} or \emph{bread} flour in this case
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refer to the properties of the flour. A bread flour is considered to have a
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higher amount of protein and thus gluten. This flour is excellent when you
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want to make a sourdough bread as your dough allows for a longer leavening
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@@ -80,16 +86,17 @@ properties might not be desirable since the final cake could have a chewy textur
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In conclusion, not every T405, T45 or T00 flour is the same. Depending on the properties
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of the plant they come from, the flours will have different properties. For that reason
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some countries like Germany have introduced additional scales to evaluate the quality of the
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wheat. The category \textbf{A} refers to good quality wheat that can be blended
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with poorer qualities to improve the flour. The category \textbf{B} refers to
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average wheat that can be used to create different baked goods. Category \textbf{C}
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wheat. The category \emph{A} refers to good quality wheat that can be blended
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with poorer qualities to improve the flour. The category \emph{B} refers to
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average wheat that can be used to create different baked goods. Category \emph{C}
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is used for wheat that has poor baking qualities. This could happen, for instance,
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if the wheat already started to sprout and thus lost some of its desirable
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baking properties. This type of wheat is typically used in animal feed or
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as fermentable biomass for generators. Category \textbf{E} refers to \emph{Elite} wheat. It's
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as fermentable biomass for generators. Category \emph{E} refers to \emph{Elite} wheat. It's
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the highest quality of wheat. This kind of wheat can only be harvested when the
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wheat has grown under optimal conditions. You can compare this to a winery
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that uses only the best grapes to make a reserve wine. Unfortunately, this is normally never printed
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that uses only the best grapes to make a reserve wine. Unfortunately, this is
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usually not printed
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on the packaging of the flour that you buy. You can look out for the protein
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value as a possible indicator. However, large mills blend flours together to
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maintain quality throughout the years. Blended flour is also not listed on
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@@ -97,7 +104,7 @@ the packaging. It might be that bakeries extract gluten from some flour and
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then mix it in order to create better baking flours.
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In Italy the so-called
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\textbf{W-value} has been introduced to better show how the flour will behave.
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\emph{W-value} has been introduced to better show how the flour will behave.
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A dough is made, and then the resistance of this dough to kneading is measured.
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The more gluten a flour has, the more elastic the dough is, and the more it will
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resist kneading. A higher W flour will have a higher gluten content and allow for a longer
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@@ -120,8 +127,8 @@ your dough with more flavor.
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Generally, when aiming to
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bake free standing sourdough bread, aim for a higher protein content. If the
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gluten value is relatively low, your bread will collapse faster. Baking bread
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is still possible, but it might be easier to use tools such as a loaf pan, or
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to make skilled bread or flatbread.
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is still possible, but it might be easier to use other techniques such as a
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loaf pan, to consider skillet bread or flatbread.
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An additional, rarely considered characteristic of good flour is the level of damage to the
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starch molecules. This is a common problem when you are trying to mill your own wheat flours at
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@@ -135,7 +142,7 @@ and start the fermentation process.
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I~am still
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yet to find a good way of milling my own flour at home. Even after trying to
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mill the flour 10 times with short breaks, I~was not able to achieve the same
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mill the flour 10~times with short breaks, I~was not able to achieve the same
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properties as with commercially milled flour. The doughs I~would make felt
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good, maybe a bit coarse. However, during baking the doughs would start to
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de-gas quickly and turn into very flat breads. I~have had great success though when
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