This pantry essential is a versatile flour that works well for many types of baking and is shelf-stable. Recipes that only call for “flour” can be made with all-purpose. A blend of hard and soft wheat, this flour has a medium protein content of 10-13 percent. It can be used for cakes, cookies, muffins, doughnuts and biscuits, pies and pastries, breading for meat, fish and vegetables.
Self-rising flour is a convenient all-purpose flour with the leavening agent, baking soda and salt added during milling. It has an 8–9 percent protein content and produces a nice, high rise for quick bread type baking. Self-rising flour is ideal for baked goods that require a high rise such as biscuits, scones, pancakes, quick bread, muffins.
Made of milled hard wheat, it’s the strongest flour with a 12–15 percent protein content. Often called bakers flour in older recipes, its high gluten produces the structured and chewy crumb that’s ideal for yeasted bread. It's used in making sourdough, baguette, challah, rustic levain, dinner rolls, bagels and pretzels.
Cake flour is a low protein flour made from soft wheat that’s milled to a fine, silky texture and is bleached to reduce the protein to 6–8 percent. Because it’s higher in starch than all-purpose flour, this soft flour absorbs more liquid, fat and sugar and results in a tender, moist crumb. It's used in all types of cakes, waffles, doughnuts and pancakes.
Pastry flour is also made from soft wheat, but with a 7–9 percent protein content. It produces both the tender crumb and flaky texture that is desired in most pastries. It's used in making danish, croissants, baklava, sweet and savoury pie, tarts, cinnamon rolls and biscuits.
This Italian type 00 flour is typically made from Durum wheat milled to the finest grind. It has a medium protein content ranging from 11–12 percent. It has strong gluten that is less elastic than other wheat. It's used in making pasta, gnocchi, lasagna noodles, pizza and flatbread, focaccia, crackers and pierogies.
Strong flour is another name for high-gluten flour used in bread baking that is typically added to other flours to increase the overall gluten level. It’s milled more coarsely and has a 13–14 percent protein content. It's used in making bagels, pretzels, shaped pasta such as orzo, doughnuts and hand-raised pies.
High protein flour at 14 percent gluten produces more gluten, resulting in a stronger dough. It's used in making crusty, chewy bread, bagels, pretzels and crackers.
Because it contains the entire wheatberry, it is higher in fibre, vitamins and minerals. It’s often combined with lighter flours to alleviate its heaviness. It's used in making bread, pizza, crackers, pasta and cookies.
Semolina flour is made by coarsely milling the endosperm of Durum wheat and is best known as a pasta flour. It’s high in gluten with 13 percent or more protein, has a lightly sweet and nutty flavour and produces a chewy dough with a buttery colour. It's used in making pasta, pizza, flatbread, pie, cookies and cake.