Strong white flour

This flour is milled from hard wheat flour, which has a higher protein level than soft wheat flour. Levels vary between millers but the typical figure is around 12%. Some types of bread flour have lower levels – around 10.5 - 11% – but these have ascorbic acid added to act as a dough enhancer.

Self-raising flour

This is not used in traditional breads, but is ideal for quick teabreads and cakes cooked in the bread machine. Sodium bicarbonate and calcium phosphate are mixed into the flour and act as raising agents.

Fine French plain flour

Used principally for baking in France, this unbleached light flour is very fine and thus free-flowing. A small amount is often added to French bread recipes to reduce the gluten content slightly and achieve the texture associated with baguettes and other French specialities.

Organic flours

Organic white flour is produced using only natural fertilisers, and the wheat has not been sprayed with pesticides. Organic bread flours can be used in any recipe, and are recommended when developing natural yeasts for starters and sourdoughs.

Wholewheat flours

Because it is made from the complete wheat kernel, including the bran and wheat germ, wholemeal is coarse textured and full-flavoured with a nutty taste. For making machine breads, you should use strong wholemeal bread flour, with a protein content of around 12.5%. Plain wholemeal flour can be used with baking powder or bicarbonate of soda for teabreads. Loaves made with 100% wholemeal bread flour tend to be very dense. The bran inhibits the release of gluten, so wholemeal doughs rise more slowly. For these reasons, many machine recipes recommend blending wholemeal bread flour with some white bread flour.

Stoneground flour results when complete wheat grain is ground between two stones. Wholemeal flours that are not stoneground have the bran and wheat germ removed during milling. They are replaced at the end of processing.

Brown bread flour

This flour contains about 80 - 90% of the wheat kernel, with some of the
bran removed. It is a good alternative to wholemeal flour, as it produces a loaf with a lighter finish, but with a denser texture and fuller flavour than white bread.

Granary flour

A combination of wholemeal, white and rye flours mixed with malted wheat grains, this adds texture and contributes a flavour that is slightly sweet and nutty. Malthouse is similar to Granary flour.

Spelt flour

Rich in nutrients, this is made from spelt grain, an ancient precursor of modern wheat. It is best used in combination with white bread flour. Even though it contains gluten, some gluten-intolerant people can digest it, so it is included in some diets for people who are allergic to wheat.

Semolina

A high gluten flour, semolina is made from the endosperm of durum or hard winter wheat before it is fully milled into a fine flour. It can be ground to a coarse granular texture or a finer flour. The finer flour is traditionally used for making pasta, but also makes a delicious bread when combined with other flours. If 100% semolina is used, a heavy loaf will result.

Other wheat grains

Wheat bran

This is the outer husk of the wheat, which is separated from white flour during processing. It adds fibre, texture and flavour. You can add a spoonful or two to your favourite recipe or use in place of part of the white bread flour.

Wheat germ

The germ is the embryo or heart of the wheat grain kernel, broken into rather large pieces. It is quite hard, so you may like to soften it. Simmer in hot water for 15 minutes, then drain and cool. Add 15 - 30 ml to dough five minutes before the end of the kneading cycle.

Bulgur wheat

This is made from the wheat grain. It is partially processed by boiling, which cracks the wheat kernel. Add to bread doughs, to give a crunchy texture. There is no need to cook it first. However, you may wish to soak it in water first, to soften it further.

Non-wheat flours

Rye flour

Rye flour is used extensively in breads, partly because it grows well in climates that are cold and wet and not suitable for wheat cultivation. This is why so many of the Russian and Scandinavian breads include rye. Light and medium rye flours are produced from the endosperm while dark rye includes all the grain, resulting in a coarser flour which adds more texture to the bread. Rye contains gluten, but when used on its own produces a very heavy bread. Rye dough is very sticky and difficult to handle. For machine-made breads, rye flour must be combined with other flours. Even a small amount adds a distinctive tang.

Millet flour

Another high-protein, low-gluten grain, millet produces a light yellow flour with a distinctly sweet flavour and a slightly gritty texture. It tends to give breads a dry, crumbly texture, so you may need to add extra fat when using it. If using millet flour, boost the gluten content of the dough by using at least 75% white bread flour.

Barley

Barley seeds are processed to remove the bran, leaving a product called pearl barly. This is ground to make barley flour, which is mild, slightly sweet and earthy. It gives breads a soft, almost cake-like texture, as it has a very low gluten content. White flour must be combined with barley flour in a ratio of at least 3:1 for machine bread.

Buckwheat flour

This greyish-brown flour has a distinctive, bitter, earthy flavour. Buckwheat is the seed of a plant related to the rhubarb family. It is rich in calcium and vitamins A and B, high in protein but low in gluten. Traditionally used to make pancakes, Russian blinis and French galettes, it is best used in combination with other flours, to produce full-bodied and tasty multigrain breads.

Other grains

Oatmeal

When oats are cleaned and the outer husk has been removed, what remains is the oat kernel or groat. This is then cut into pieces to make either fine, medium or coarse oatmeal, or fully ground
to make flour. All of these igredients can be
used in multigrain breads, adding a rich flavour and texture they will contribute to the bread. Oatmeal contains no gluten, so it needs to be combined with wheat flour for bread making.
The coarser textured oatmeal makes an
attractive topping on breads and rolls.

Polenta and maizemeal (cornmeal)

Dried corn kernels are ground to make coarse, medium and fine meal. The medium grain is known as polenta and the fine grain as maizemeal or cornmeal. For bread making, this gluten-free flour has to be combined with white bread flour. It adds a sweet flavour and an attractive yellow colour to the dough. For shaping the bread by hand, use polenta, which is slightly coarser and adds a pleasant finish to the bread.

Millet grain

This tiny, golden yellow, round grain is used in breads in Europe and Russia to give added texture. Include 15 - 30 ml in a multigrain bread, or even in a simple basic white loaf, for added interest. Millet grains make an attaractive topping for breads such as Lavash. Millet flakes are also used in some breads.

Rice

Rice grains can be used in a variety of ways. Cooked long grain rice can be added to doughs for bread with a moist crumb. Wild rice, although strictly an aquatic grass, will add a beautiful texture and flavour. Add it near the end of the kneading cycle to keep the grain intact and give attractive dark flecks of colour to the bread. Ground rice and rice flour are milled from rice grains. Both brown and white rice flour are used, brown flour being more nutritious. Ground rice is more granular, similar to semolina. Either can replace some white bread flour in a recipe, they will add a sweet flavour and chewy texture to the bread. Ground rice and rice flour can also be used as toppings. They are often dusted over English muffins or crumpets.

As rice is gluten-free, use only a small percentage of it with the bread flour, otherwise your loaf of bread will be rather dense.

Rolled oats

The inedible husk is removed from the oat kernel and the grain is then sliced, steamed and rolled to produce rolled oats. You can get jumbo-size oat flakes as well as traditional old-fashioned rolled porridge oats. For bread making, use the old-fashioned oats rather than the “quick oats”. Add rolled oats to bread doughs to give a chewy texture and nutty taste, or use as a topping for an attractive finish on rolls and breads.

Oat bran

High in soluble fibre, this is the outer casing of the oat kernel. It acts in a similar way to wheat bran, reducing the elasticity of the gluten, so use a maximum of 15 ml per 115 g cup flour. When using oat bran, you may need to add a little extra liquid to the dough.