Baker’s Flour vs Plain Flour
Flour is perhaps the most versatile of all ingredients in the culinary world. Not only versatile, it is also an indispensable item in the gamut of cuisine types that exist in the world. There are many types of flour which differ in texture, purpose, nutritional value as well as the ingredients included in them. Baker’s flour and plain flour are two such varieties of flour commonly used in the world today.
What is Baker’s flour?
Baker’s flour is a Canadian grade, all-purpose wheat flour that is also known as strong flour or bread flour. It contains a high amount of protein and gluten which makes it ideal for making yeast-based products. It is available in very large quantities such as 20 kg packs and gains its name because it is a kind of flour that is quite popular with bakers. Baker’s flour is mainly used to bake breads and must be stored in an airtight, moisture-proof container. Failure to do so would cause the oils in the flour to oxidize and go rancid. Sometimes baker’s flour is conditioned with ascorbic acid with the intention of helping to increase its volume which in turn results in better textured bread. However, adding a little corn flour to the plain flour can be an effective alternative to baker’s flour since corn flour is a wheat starch that adds more gluten to the flour thereby making it ideal for baking bread.
What is Plain Flour?
Also known as all-purpose flour, plain flour is the ideal flour for baking cakes, pastries and other baked goods. With an average protein content between 8 and 11 percent, it contains a blend of hard and soft wheat and is produced in bleached and unbleached varieties. Bleached flour which is chemically treated has a lesser protein content than unbleached flour and is ideal for baking cookies, pie crusts, pancakes etc. Unbleached flour, on the other hand, is suitable for yeast breads, Danish pastries, puff pastries etc. It is also used for coating food prior to frying in order to give them a crispy exterior. Plain flour is also used as thickening agents for soups, broths etc. Plain flour binds mixtures together while giving it structure and is also ideal for making unleavened bread like naan and other kinds of Indian bread.
What is the difference between Baker’s Flour and Plain Flour?
Different recipes call for different flours; be it for texture, taste or other qualities that are important for each dish. The variety of flours that exist in the world is so diverse that it is quite easy to get confused between these types. Baker’s flour and plain flour are two such types of flour that are usually confused with each other when selecting the best type of flour to utilize in various recipes.
• Baker’s flour has a higher protein and gluten content than plain flour.
• Baker’s flour is ideal for baking bread. Plain flour is suitable for cakes, pastries, unleavened bread etc.
• Plain flour can be used as baker’s flour by adding some corn flour to it.
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“corn flour is a wheat starch” – this seems unlikely, since it’s called “corn flour” and it’s made from maize.
I appreciate the info, but how can corn flour add gluten to all-purpose flour, corn flour is not a wheat starch, it is a cornstarch, and it’s gluten-free.