Food Commodities 32

Flour


A finely ground cereal, such as wheat, barley, oats, rye, rice, maize or other grains. In Britain, the word 'flour' usually refers to flour produced from wheat.
History of Flour

The earliest archaeological evidence for wheat seeds crushed between simple millstones to make flour dates to 6000 BC. The Romans were the first to grind seeds on cone mills. In 1879, at the beginning of the Industrial Era, the first steam mill was erected in London. In the 1930s, some flour began to be enriched with iron, niacin, thiamine and riboflavin. In the 1940s, mills started to enrich flour and folic acid was added to the list in the 1990s.





Types of Wheat Flour

Wheat Flour Basics


Wheat flour is the most common flour used in baking. There are different types of ​wheat flour, and they're distinguished by the amount of gluten they contain.
Gluten is the wheat's natural protein, and it's what gives baked goods their structure. When dough is kneaded, these glutens develop and become elastic. Flours made from hard, high-protein varieties of wheat are called strong flours.

Whole-Wheat Flour (Low Gluten) – Also called graham flour. It is made from the whole kernel of wheat and is higher in dietary fiber and overall nutrient content than white flours.  It does not have as high a gluten level, so often it’s mixed with all-purpose or bread flour when making yeast breads.  Whole wheat flour is equivalent to British whole meal flour.

All-Purpose Flour

 They have a higher gluten content. Flours made
from softer, low-protein wheats are called weak flours and are lower in gluten.
All-purpose flour is formulated to have a medium gluten content of around 12 percent or so. This makes it a good middle-of-the-road flour that can be used for a whole range of baking, from crusty breads to fine cakes and pastries. Even so, most professional bakers don't use all-purpose flour but instead use either bread flour, cake flour or pastry flour, depending on what they are baking.
One sifted cup of all-purpose flour should weigh around 4½ ounces or 125 grams.

Bread Flour

Bread flour is a strong flour, meaning that it has a relatively high gluten content — usually around 13 to 14 percent. A handful of bread flour will feel coarse and will look slightly off-white. Bread flour is used for making crusty​​ breads and rolls, pizza doughs, and similar products.
Wheat
One cup of bread flour will weigh around 5 ounces or 140 grams.

Cake Flour

Cake flour is made from soft wheat and has a lower gluten content — around 7½ to 9 percent. Its grains are visibly finer than bread flour, and it is much whiter in color. Its fine, soft texture makes it preferable for tender cakes and pastries.
Pastry Flour

 One sifted cup of cake flour will weigh around 3½ ounces or 99 grams.
Pastry flour is slightly stronger than cake flour, at around 9 to 10 percent gluten. It can be used for biscuits, muffins, cookies, pie doughs, and softer yeast doughs. It has a slightly more off-white color than cake flour. One sifted cup of pastry flour will weigh just over 3½ ounces or around 101 grams.

Self-Rising Flour


Self-rising flour is a peculiar bird. It's basically ordinary all-purpose flour that has baking powder and salt added to it. Intended as a convenience, it's really anything but — the main problem being that there's no way to control how much baking powder it contains. Also, when stored in your pantry, the baking powder in the flour will quickly lose its effectiveness, making things even more unpredictable. Unless you have no other options, this type of flour is probably best avoided.

Types of Other Flour

Almond Flour (Gluten Free) – Just a touch of this flour (about 1/4 of the flour mixture) is all you need to add moistness, a little binding, light almond flavor, and density to baked goods.  It is especially good in pastry crusts, cookies, and quick breads.




 Amaranth Flour (Gluten Free) – Amaranth is an ancient grain and the word amaranth means “everlasting” in Greek.  Amaranth contains more protein than any other gluten-free grain and more protein than wheat flour.  You can substitute up to 20 to 25% of the flour used in your recipe with this flour.


 Barley Flour (Low Gluten) – A non-wheat flour made from grinding whole barley.  It is a popular alternative to wheat flour because, unlike many non-wheat flours, it contains some gluten.  This flour has a mild, but very slightly nutty taste.  This flour also has slightly fewer calories and more than 4 times the fiber of all-purpose.  By using barley flour instead of all-purpose flour, you triple your fiber intake.  When making yeast bread recipes, there is not enough gluten in barley flour to properly develop the bread, and it is recommended swapping only one quarter of all-purpose flour for barley flour in yeast bread recipes. Great in quick breads and pancakes.

 Buckwheat Flour (Gluten Free) – It is packed with nutrients, readily available, easy to work with and has a nice nutty flavor.  
Chickpea Flour (Gluten Free) – Also know as garbanzo flour, gram flour, and besan.  Made from dried chickpeas ground into a flour.  Used in many countries, it is a staple ingredient in Indian, Pakistan, and Nepal cuisines.  You can use this flour as an egg substitute in vegan cookery.  You can substitute up to half the amount of all-purpose flour called for in a recipe with chickpea flour.  It is also very easy to make your own Chickpea Flour by processing dried chickpeas in your blender or food processor.


 Coconut flour (Gluten Free) – It is ground from dried, defatted coconut meat.  It is high in fiber, and low in digestible carbohydrates.  It has a very light coconut flavor.  Coconut flour can replace up to 20% of the flour in a recipe, but you will need to add an equal amount of liquid (oil) to compensate as this flour soaks up the liquid.  You will also need more eggs – usually double the eggs (or more).


Corn Flour (Gluten Free) – It is a powdery flour made of finely-ground cornmeal and is milled from the whole kernel.  Corn flour comes in yellow and white and is used for breading and in combination with other flours in baked goods.  White corn flour is used as a filler, binder and thickener in cookie, pastry and meat industries.

Instant Flour (Wondra from Gold Medal) – Is granular and formulated to dissolve quickly in hot or cold liquids.  It will not work as a substitute for all-purpose flour, although there are recipes on the container for popovers and other baked goods.  It is used primarily in sauces and gravies.
Farina Flour or Meal:  Flour or meal (of grain or starchy roots.)  Also sold as Cream of Wheat, farina is made from the endosperm of the grain, which is milled to a fine granular consistency and then sifted.  Although the bran and most of the germ are removed, this cereal is sometimes enriched with B vitamins and iron.  Farina is most often served as a breakfast cereal, but can also be cooked like polenta.  Its name comes from the Latin word for meal or flour, which in turn traces to far, the Latin name for spelt, a type of wheat.  Farina was the first genuine flour before milling stones.

Millet Flour (Gluten Free) – Millet is one of the oldest foods known and possibly the first cereal grain to be used for domestic purposes.  Millet flour is most commonly used in desserts and sweet breads largely because of the grain’s naturally sweet flavor.  When substituting for wheat flour, it is usually best to start with about a 3-to-1 ratio of wheat to millet.
Oat Flour (Gluten Free) – This flour tends to make a baked good more moist than wheat flour.  It is made from ground whole oats – yes the old-fashion oats used for cereal.  It is very easy to make your own oat flour.  Just place the dried oats in your blender and grind. 1 1/4 cups rolled oats makes 1 cup oat flour.



 Organic Flour – Used in the same way as regular flour.  It must follow U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations to be labeled “organic.”  Using this flour is a matter of personal preference.


 Pumpernickel Flour (Low Gluten) – This flour is made from coarsely-ground whole rye berries. It is the rye equivalent of whole wheat flour.  Pumpernickel breads tends to be dense, dark, and strongly flavored.
Quinoa Flour (Gluten Free) – It is one of the most nutritious grain flour available.  Quinoa is considered a grass/seed and not a grain.  This powerful little grain is a great addition to any diet, but is an ideal solution for those following a gluten free, vegan or vegetarian diet.  You can substitute this flour for 1/2 of the all-purpose flour in many recipes or completely replace wheat flour in cakes and cookie recipes.  This is a very expensive flour to purchase.

Rice Flour (Gluten Free) – Rice flour is a form of flour made from finely milled rice.  This flour can be made from either white or brown rice and can be used interchangeably.  White Rice Flour (also called Mochik) is lighter, milder, and easier to digest than wheat flour.  Some people find white rice flour to be slightly gritty, but many find it preferable to bean flours.  It is great as a thickening in sauces.  You can also make your own rice flour – just place rice of your choice (white or brown) in your blender and process until it forms a powder.
Rye Flours (Low Gluten) – There are light, medium, and dark colored varieties of rye flour.  The color of the flour depends on how much of the bran has been removed through the milling process.  It is also a low gluten flour.  Rye bread may be a better choice than wheat bread for persons with diabetes.  Because rye flour is low in gluten, a general rule suggests substituting 1/3 of the amount of rye with wheat flour to ensure the bread will rise properly.

Semolina Flour – It is used in making pasta and Italian puddings.  It is made from durum wheat, the hardest type of wheat grown.  The flour is highest in gluten.  When other grains, such as rice or corn, are similarly ground, they are referred to as “semolina” with the grain’s name added, i.e., “corn semolina” or “rice semolina.”  There are difference grades.


 Sorghum Flour (Gluten Free) – A very good substitute for wheat flour in many recipes, especially if combined with other, more denser, flours.

Soy Flour (Gluten Free) – Made from ground soy beans.  Full-fat and low-fat soy flours work best in sweet, rich, baked goods like cookies, soft yeast breads, and quick breads.  Soy flour can be substituted approximately 10% to 30% of the wheat or rye flour in your recipes.

Spelt Flour (Low Gluten) – One of the most popular and widely available of alternative baking flours.  The full name of spelt is Triticum aestivum var. spelta.  Triticum denotes that it is of the wheat family, but the fats are more soluble and the nutritional content higher than traditional wheat flour.  People who have issues with wheat digestion, but who are not gluten, will tolerant often do well with Spelt.  Spelt flour has a nutty and slightly sweet flavor similar to that of whole wheat flour.  It does contain gluten and is a popular substitute for wheat in baked goods. 

Tapioca Flour (Gluten Free) – It is also known as tapioca starch.  It is a starchy white flour with a slight sweet flavor.  This flour is make from the starch extracted from the South American cassava plant.  It helps bind gluten-free recipes plus improves the texture of baked goods and is also an ideal thickening agent.  Use tapioca for thickening a wide variety of baked goods, sauces, and desserts.  This flour can also be used to replace corn starch (use 2 tablespoons tapioca flour for each 1 tablespoon corn starch).

Teff Flour (Gluten Free) – Teff is an ancient and intriguing grain, tiny in size yet packed with nutrition.  It is simple to prepare and similar to millet or quinoa in cooking.  Teff is a great addition to your diet for nutrition, taste, and variety.  It is higher in protein than wheat and has a high concentration of a wide variety of nutrients, including calcium, thiamin, and iron.  Since the grains are so small, the bulk of the grain is germ and brand. It is very high in fiber and is thought to benefit people with diabetes as it helps control blood sugar levels.  Teff is excellent in making dark breads and rye breads.  

How To Store Flour:

Flour must be kept cool and dry.  All flours, even white flour, have a limited shelf life.  Millers recommend that flours be stored for no more than 6 months.  The main change that occurs is the oxidation of oils when flour is exposed to air.  The result of this is rancid off flavors.  During hot weather, store flour in the refrigerator.
Flour should be stored, covered, in a cool and dry area.  This prevents the flour from absorbing moisture and odors and from attracting insects and rodents.  Freezing flour for 48 hours before it is stored will kill any weevil or insect eggs already in the flour.  It is better not to mix new flour with old if you are not using the flour regularly.
Do not store flour near soap powder, onions or other foods and products with strong odors.
If freezer space is available, flour can be repackaged in airtight, moisture-proof containers, labeled and placed in the freezer at 0 degrees F. If flour is stored like this, it will keep well for several years.
Keep whole wheat flour in the refrigerator the year around.  Natural oils cause this flour to turn rancid quickly at room temperature.
Throw away flour if it smells bad, changes color, or is invested with weevils.
Flour is always readily available so it should only be brought in quantities that will last a maximum of two to three months.
Put a bay leaf in the flour canister to help protect against insect infections.  Bay leaves are natural insect repellents.


How to Make Flour From Grain
Many people may not understand the making flour is a simple process that has been done for thousands of years in a number of different civilizations. The truth of the matter is that you can make it yourself in seconds. Why use that processed flour that's been losing vitamins for weeks on the shelves when you can get fresh flour now? All you need is some sort of grain that can be used as a flour, and a grinding apparatus (such as a coffee grinder or a coffee mill.

 Obtain your grains, seeds, nuts, beans...something to grind to a pulp. Practically any grain, nut, or seed can be turned into flour. Try exotic items such as quinoa, popcorn, acorns, and peas to the more traditional options like rice, wheat, oats, and barley. Fresh, whole wheat berries, rye berries, whole oats and the like can often be found at health food stores, sold in bulk. They'll be white, russet, purple or amber-colored. And it's cheaper by volume than the pre-made stuff, too!
  • Know what kind of flour you want to make. Want whole wheat flour? Get whole wheat berries (they don't look like berries -- that's just what they're called). Want rye flour? Get rye berries. Flour ain't no rocket science!
Obtain your grains, seeds, nuts, beans...something to grind to a pulp. Practically any grain, nut, or seed can be turned into flour. Try exotic items such as quinoa, popcorn, acorns, and peas to the more traditional options like rice, wheat, oats, and barley. Fresh, whole wheat berries, rye berries, whole oats and the like can often be found at health food stores, sold in bulk. They'll be white, russet, purple or amber-colored. And it's cheaper by volume than the pre-made stuff, too!
  • Know what kind of flour you want to make. Want whole wheat flour? Get whole wheat berries (they don't look like berries -- that's just what they're called). Want rye flour? Get rye berries. Flour ain't no rocket science!
Choose your grinding mechanism. If you'd like to spend hours cranking for your daily forearm workout, you're more than welcome. Or you could throw the seeds/berries/nuts/beans in your blender/food processor/coffee grinder and let it do the work for you. If you do use some sort of electric device, the higher powered it is, the finer your flour will be.
  • The manual mill really has one advantage: It doesn't produce any heat to damage the nutrients of the seeds. Other than that, it just takes a lot of time.
  • The main drawback of electric mills is that they're just mills and they're a bit expensive (your cheapest one is going to run at about a couple hundred bucks).
  • The only downside of using a blender/food processor/coffee grinder is that it may not get you the finest quality of powder ("finest" here meaning like small, not of good quality). It all depends on the specific product you're using.
Place the good stuff into your mill/blender. Make the amount you plan to use right now -- fresh flour can go bad very quickly. Fill the mechanism only about halfway full so there's room for it to blend away.
  • 1 cup of wheat berries should produce just over 1 1/2 cups of flour. For beans and nuts, etc., the same to 1.5x the original amount will be produced.
Grind away. If you're using a mill, turn the crank until all of the grain has been processed through it. If you're using a blender, select the highest setting to blend the grain for about 30 seconds. Then turn it off, remove the lid, and stir with a rubber spatula. After stirring, place the lid back on and blend some more.
  • Your mechanism determines how fast the stuff will grind. If you're using one of those fancy schmancy high-powered blenders (like Blendtec or Vitamix), your flour will be done before you can say, "Is the flour done yet?" If you're grinding manually, well, hope you took the afternoon off work.
Continue to crank your mill or blend your grains until the flour reaches the texture you want. You can check on this by sifting the mixture you have into a bowl and surveying it up close. Touch it to make sure it has the right consistency (wash your hands thoroughly first!) and if it doesn't, run it again.
  • Your coffee grinder will never get the flour to a processed-flour-like consistency. What you may have to do is take the flour through a sifter to get out the chunkier bits and make do with what's left over. It'll still be delicious!
Once you're satisfied with your flour, pour it into a resealable bag or container.You may have to use more than one if you've made a lot of flour, but keeping it fresh will definitely pay off in the long-term. And there you have it: ready-made flour for the dough of your dreams!
  • Keep your flour in a cool, dark place. This will prevent insects and sunlight from doing irreparable damage. If you'd like, place a bay leaf in with the flour to prevent bugs from bugging your flour.
If making bulk amounts, keep it in the fridge or freezer. Whole wheat flour will go rancid especially fast, clocking in at only a few months if put in a cabinet. If it changes color or smells bad (which it won't do when kept cold), don't hesitate to throw it away.
  • To freeze the flour, just put it in its resealable container and chuck 'er in. It'll keep for years. Just don't forget to use it occasionally!
Experiment with your flour first. You may find that your homemade flour has a much different taste than you expected and acts quite differently when cooked (that's because it's super fresh). So don't use it straight away if you're looking for a gold medal at the fair. Experiment first.
  • Fresh flour gives the yeast more to feed on, resulting in more fermentation activity. This can change the tastes of recipes you have been baking for years. It should definitely change it for the better!



How to Grow Wheat

Start a Grain Patch



Grains are divided between those that like to grow in warm weather and those that prefer cool temperatures. The majority fall in the latter group, which includes oats, rye, spelt, and most types of wheat. These are typically planted in early fall and are harvested in late spring the following year. (They overwinter under the snow in cold climates.) Buckwheat, millet, and certain wheat varieties need hot weather to mature and are planted in spring. Some feed stores sell grain seed suitable for kitchen use, but it’s often easier to find it online.
All grains need a sunny location. Till up the area to be planted to a depth of at least 6 inches. Most grains have low fertility requirements, but if the soil is extremely poor, spread a couple inches of compost over the surface and till it in before planting. In order to distribute the grain seed evenly over the surface of the soil, it’s best to use a seed spreader to sow the seed, rather than try to distribute it by hand. Follow the instructions on the package for the appropriate seeding rate—this will usually be given in pounds per 1,000 square feet.
After spreading the seed, lightly rake the area with a hard metal rake to mix it into the surface layer of soil. Spread a thin layer of straw over the soil to deter birds from feasting on the seed and to conserve soil moisture. Soak the area with a sprinkler to encourage germination and continue to keep the area moist (but not soggy) until the seedlings have emerged. When planting in the fall, cool weather may preclude the need for additional irrigation. Spring plantings will need about an inch of water per week. If in doubt, water whenever the top inch of soil is dry.

Harvesting and Processing

Some warm-season grains mature in as little as 30 days after germination, while grains that are overwintered may need up to nine months before they are ready to harvest. Here are the basic steps to bring your crop from the field to the pantry.
  1. Harvest the grains when the stalks are just beginning to go from green to brown, using a scythe or other tool. Cut them just above the ground.
  2. Tie the stalks into bunches with twine and let them dry for about two weeks in a location that is protected from rain. They may be left to dry on the floor or hung from the ceiling of a barn or porch. You’ll know the grain is sufficiently dry if it’s hard and crunchy when you bite into it.
  3. Spread a tarp or sheet over the floor,and beat the stalks with a wooden dowel to release the grain from the seedheads. (This is called threshing.)
  4. Collect the grain in a large bowl or bucket. Set up a fan at a medium speed (strong enough to blow away the chaff, but not so strong to blow away the grain. This isn’t terribly difficult since the chaff—the papery covering around the grain—is much lighter than the grain.) Drop handfuls of the grain into a second container, allowing the breeze to blow off the chaff as they fall. (This is called winnowing.)
  5. Store the cleaned grain in glass jars in a cool dark place.
  6. Mill the grain as needed with heavy duty blender (like a Vitamix) or a countertop grain mill.
One extra step is required before some grains can be milled, which is to remove the hull. Rice, buckwheat, and oats are examples of grains with a hard outer hull. One method, which is a bit tedious for large quantities, is to run the grain lightly through a blender to crack the hulls and separate them from the grain. You can then sift the hulls out with your fingers or find the right size metal mesh that allows the grain to fall through, but removes the hulls. Fortunately, most grain mills are capable of removing the hulls and some even come with a special attachment for the purpose.

 How to Cook

 Flour is widely used in the industrial preparation of foods, including breads, cake, and , biscuits, cookies, and other baked goods. In cookery, it's also an important ingredient for making roux, coating the meats, etc.  

Sources
@ Webster's New World Dictionary of Culinary Arts by Steven Labensky, Gaye G.Ingram, Sarah R.Labensky
@ Larouss'e Gastronomique by Prosper Montagne
@ http://www.flour-art-museum.de/english/background-and-culture/history-of-flour.html
@ https://www.thespruce.com/all-about-flour-995124
@ https://whatscookingamerica.net/Bread/FlourTypes.htm
@ https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Flour

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