Rebecca Gordon’s Cooking Class
Cooking & Baking Skills
Lesson No. 3
Flour
The Objective: Today’s lesson focuses on flour & the valuable role it plays in a variety of cooking & baking applications ranging from savory main dish dinner solutions to seasonal sweets. You may be experimenting with a little baking right now or find that you may not have a particular flour in the house that may be called for in formulas. Learn how to make simple exchanges so you can proceed & try new recipes.
The Overview
Flour, in general, plays a vital role in day to day meal solutions. Pair it with leavening such as yeast, baking soda or baking powder & you have a variety of bread solutions that may be used for making sandwiches, serve as a carrier for appetizers, dips & spreads, croutons for salads or even a list of classic breakfast staples including pancakes, waffles, muffins & other quick breads. For heartier & more filling dinner options, a small amount of flour may be transformed into béchamel or mornay sauces & used for classics ranging from baked ziti, macaroni & cheese or gravy for poultry & a dark, rich roux for making gumbo.
The Profile & Making Exchanges In Recipes
A 5-pound bag of flour will yield approximately 13 cups so expect to be able to prepare anywhere from 3 to 4 standard bread or pound cake formulas using a single bag.
Self-Rising Flour
Self-rising flour is made with all purpose flour, baking powder & salt. Although many look to it as a convenience, I do not recommend using it. I find that the salt levels are too high & it produces off flavors if acidic ingredients are added such as buttermilk. When using buttermilk in recipes, baking soda should always be the leavening used or it may be used in combination with baking powder if it is used as the higher percentage to ensure a good, balanced flavor. But just know, less baking soda is needed to leaven the same amount of flour compared to baking powder. It may have the lower fraction in a recipe but it’s doing much more than you think. If you insist on using it & do not have any, combine 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder & 1/4 teaspoon table salt to equal 1 cup for recipes.
Pastry & Cake
Pastry & cake flours have a protein content of approximately 8% to 9%. If you find that it is needed for a recipe & you do not have it in your pantry, a substitution may be made. Measure 1 cup of flour, then remove 2 tablespoons & replace it with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. The cornstarch will naturally reduce the protein content yet replace the volume needed in recipes. Most often used in cakes & some pastries to produce a lighter more tender texture in baked goods.
Soft Wheat
Soft wheat flours, those made with spring wheat, contain a protein content of approximately 8% to 10% & is most desirable when making biscuits & scones as it produces a more tender texture. If you don’t have soft wheat flour in your cupboard, try making a simple adjustment. Soft wheat flours may be used as a base for breading & frying items.
All Purpose
All-purpose flour contains a protein content of approximately 10% to 12% & may easily be used in many recipes that call for soft wheat or bread flour if you do not happen to have it in your cupboard. It may be found bleached & unbleached but there again, interchange them as necessary. There will be only slight texture changes so don’t let that make you hesitate in trying a recipe. May be used in cakes, some breads, pizza dough & cookies. It’s ideal for savory applications ranging from breading for fried items, roux or gravies & béchamel or mornay sauces.
Bread
Bread flour contains a protein content of approximately 12% to 14% & is most notably used in the baking of many hearty breads ranging from crusty French baguettes, sandwich breads, brioche rolls & so much more. It may also be used in combination with other flours to create a desirable texture. if you do not bake bread regularly, you may not have it in the house. Simply substitute with all-purpose flour & add just a bit more during the blending stage, if necessary.
Whole Wheat
Most whole wheat flours are milled using hard red wheat containing a protein content of approximately 14%. By comparison, you can expect all purpose to contain anywhere from 10% to 12% & it may also contain some soft wheat flour which has a content between 8% & 10% so that it meets specifications. When creating recipe formulas that use whole wheat flours, many times a combination of flours are used in order to ensure maximum performance & the desired, pleasing expectation. Use in hearty bread recipes. With the right percentage of exchanges, it may also be used in more traditional muffin & pastry formulas to add additional nutritional value to foods.
Almond
When savory applications are desired, it makes a wonderfully flavorful gluten-free breading on chicken & fish. Often times almond flour is highlighted to replace the flour in a recipe but it may also be added in conjunction with it. Almond flour is no more than ground skinless, blanched almonds. You may grind your own, however I find the consistency of purchasing it already prepared offers a good super fine texture without all of the work. Try using it in a batch of macarons.
A Special Note
Buttermilk Lipstick is filled with a wealth of culinary & entertaining knowledge, comprehensive information & photos that guide you through each step of the process & recipes tested in a home kitchen setting just like yours by a food professional with over 20 years of experience & expertise. Whether you have questions regarding how to cook long grain rice, roast a whole chicken or bake a batch of croissants, just know I’m here to guide you through the process. I cook, bake & consume everything you’ll find here. I want this to be an interactive e-learning experience, so please leave your questions or comments below or on my facebook page so that I may respond to your needs & so we may discuss topics together.
FROM THE KITCHEN OF BUTTERMILK LIPSTICK
{helpful advice}
How To Use Flour Everyday
Flour is an economical way to feed families all throughout the day. It plays a vital role in cakes, pies & cookies but also in a number of meal solutions. When flours with a high protein content is used to make bread, the development of gluten during the blending phase is what gives many recipe formulas their signature chewy characteristics.
53 Ways To Cook & Bake With Flour Everyday
The shelf life of flour is relatively generous depending on the type. Most are good for approximately one year when stored in a cool, dry place at room temperature but to extend the time, they may be placed in the freezer for up to two years. Almond flour has a much shorter life span. After opening, I recommend placing the bag in a zip-top freezer bag & storing it in the freezer right away.
No. 1
The Breakfast Applications
Flour offers so much variety when it comes to classic recipes your family loves. From savory to sweet, a little flour equates to endless possibilities from simple classics to more detailed recipes ranging from croissants, danish & kolaches.
Buttermilk-Cornmeal English Muffins
Pain Aux Raisins
No. 2
The Lunch & Dinner Applications
Flour may be used to aide in crisp exteriors to chicken, pork & beef when pan & stir frying is desired, used to thicken sauces, add filling structure to cornbread in combination with cornmeal or serve as a baseline ingredient to breads ranging from pita to white sandwich loaves.
Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Cornbread
No. 3
The Dessert Applications
Flour plays the most vital role in the overall texture of foods that is why it is ideal to use the kind designed for the type of baked good you wish to make. The protein content, along with the proper blending time & procedure will deliver the exception you desire.
The Essential Guide To Making Petit Fours
Miniature Buttermilk Carrot Cake Loaves
Salted Cashew-Mississippi Mud Brownies
Strawberry-Blueberry Hand Pies
No. 4
Rebecca Gordon’s Cooking Class Lessons
The Gift Of Culinary Skills & Knowledge
Lesson No. 1: The Appendix
The Tune
“With You Anywhere You Are” Doris Day
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