Flour is one ingredient that bakery businesses, catering businesses, and restaurant businesses cannot do without. It is needed in almost all baking recipes and even in some cooking recipes. Besides these, flour can be used as a thickening agent in dishes too.
There are several types of flour for baking. If you don’t have the right knowledge, it is possible that you mix things up. Now, each type of flour has its own unique application when baking or cooking. For instance, self-rising flour cannot be used to make yeast-risen bread, while bread flour is better suited for baking yeast-based bread.
Every baker must know all types of flour and which recipes they are used in. Reason, one flour does not fit all - Not all flour types are interchangeable in different recipes. However, if you don’t know the different flour types, we got you covered.
Additionally, if you are planning to start a wholesale flour distribution business, or just need help knowing what type of flour is gluten-free, then this blog covers what you need to know about bulk flour.
So, whether you are selling food online, plan to sell baked goods online or you are contemplating starting a bakery business, let’s look at the different types of flour.
9 Types of Flours
Let’s look at the different types of wholesale flour:
- Organic flour
- Wheat flour
- Bread flour
- Cake flour
- Graham flour
- Pastry flour
- Self-rising flour
- Semolina flour
- White (all-purpose)
Now, let’s look more closely at the different flour types.
- Organic Flour
If you are all about making and selling 100% organic baked goods and menu offerings, then organic flour is your best choice. Organic flours are processed according to high flour quality standards set by the USDA.
Like its name depicts, organic flour is milled from pesticide-free grain and grown with natural substances. Additionally, the flour is not processed artificially and it’s not chemically ripened either.
So, what is organic flour used for? Organic flour is commonly used for baking pastries, biscuits, and can be used to produce sauces.
- Wheat Flour
You can make wheat flour from milling wheat grain. Depending on its gluten content, color, season it is grown, and whether it is hard or soft, there are different types of wheat flour.
When the gluten content is low, it is called soft or weak. If the gluten content is high, then it is hard or strong wheat flour. So, if you are looking for gluten-free flour, wheat flour is NOT an option.
Hard wheat is usually a bronze color and soft wheat is a light golden color. Bakers use wheat flour to make a variety of baked goods, including bread, pancakes, biscuits, and other pastries.
- Bread Flour
Bread flour is a high-protein flour that is used in yeast flours. The high-protein content simply means bread flour is rich in gluten making the dough more elastic and light. This allows the flour to rise better.
Now, bread flour is perfect for making yeast-risen bread. Its gluten strength helps create the chewy texture and well-defined structure that is characteristic of delicious artisan loaves.
When water is added to bread flour and kneaded, the gluten proteins form a strong and stretchy network, trapping the carbon dioxide produced by the yeast during fermentation. This trapped gas causes the dough to rise, resulting in the airy and fluffy texture that we love in bread.
- Cake Flour
Cake flour is a wonderful flour option specifically designed to create tender, fluffy, and delicate cakes and pastries. Its lower protein content sets it apart from all-purpose and bread flours, making it ideal for achieving the perfect texture in your baked goods.
The fine texture of cake flour also plays a crucial role in producing those picture-perfect cakes. It creates a smoother and silkier batter, allowing for a more even rise during baking. This helps the cake to rise uniformly and prevents large air pockets from forming, resulting in a more consistent and visually appealing finished product.
Aside from cakes, cake flour is a secret weapon for creating delicate pastries like cupcakes, muffins, and some types of cookies. Its ability to produce lighter textures and finer crumbs makes it an essential ingredient for achieving the fluffy and tender treats we all love.
- Graham Flour
Have you heard of Graham crackers? Well. Graham flour is the reason Graham crackers have a delightful taste.
Graham flour is one of the varieties of wheat flour made from milling the entire wheat kernel. This is the reason Graham flour contains a high-fiber and nutrient content. It has a sweet flavor compared to refined white flour.
Besides Graham crackers, you can use Graham flour to make various desserts and treats.
- Pastry Flour
Pastry flour plays a crucial role in creating delicate pastries and other delectable baked goods. This flour is fantastic for achieving the perfect texture, thanks to its blend of all-purpose flour and cake flour.
Bakers love using pastry flour as a substitute for all-purpose flour when they want that extra finesse.
- Self-Rising Flour
Self-rising flour is a real time-saver when you're whipping up recipes that call for both flour and leavening agents. The beauty of self-rising flour lies in its pre-mixed goodness of baking powder and salt.
Say goodbye to measuring and adding leavening agents separately, making your baking process a breeze.
- Semolina Flour
Semolina flour is a high-protein gem derived from durum wheat, a hard variety of wheat. Its distinct golden color and coarse texture set it apart from other wheat flours, making it ideal for various dishes.
From cakes to different types of pasta and even semolina pudding, semolina flour adds a unique touch to your culinary creations.
Other Types of Flour
- Whole wheat flour
- Whole wheat pastry flour
- Vital wheat gluten flour
- Non-wheat flours
- Almond
- Amaranth
- Buckwheat flour
- Coconut flour
- Commercial gluten free blends
- Corn flour/corn meal
- Potato flour
- Oat flour
- Rice flour
- Rye flour
- Sorghum flour
- Soy flour
- Spelt flour
- Tapioca flour
- Teff flour
Frequently Asked Questions About Types of Wholesale Flour
Knowing the different types of flour will help you make the best choice of ingredients for your baking recipes, especially when selling cookies online. Let’s answer a few questions about the types of flour:
What are the 2 main categories of flour?
The two main categories of flour are:
- Wheat flour
- White flour
Which flour used for cake?
Cake flour is the best flour for making cake. It has a lower protein content and produces a delicate texture, perfect for fluffy cakes and pastries.
What flour for bread?
Bread flour is used for bread. Like cake flour, it has a high protein content, giving the dough more gluten strength and elasticity.
What is Type 70 flour?
Type 70 flour is a type of flour that refers to the ash content of flour. Type 70 means the flour has 0.70% ash content.