• Wheat flour is the most known and used type of flour. It is the main ingredient used in the production of bread, a food that has accompanied humanity throughout history.
The first grain to be cultivated and which held first place for a long time was barley. Wheat followed, cultivated at the beginning of the XNUMXth millennium BC and quickly spread from Asia Minor to Western Europe.
Brief history of wheat from grain to bread
Agriculture Gazette admits the idea that human civilization was established and developed as a true civilization of wheat, the intake of this grain remaining a significant constant of our diet from ancient times to the present day.
In the Danubian-Balkan countries, barley, wheat and millet were cultivated since the Neolithic. In the beginning, certain varieties of wheat were cultivated so that later what we know today as common wheat appeared.
In the century in the XNUMXnd century BC, bread made from leavened dough with yeast appeared among the Romans, showing the tendency to specialize in the bakery activity. Some bakers made only white bread, others only intermediate bread, and still others only inferior bread for the poor and slaves.
The importance of wheat and bread in general for Romanians is overwhelming. Elena Niculita Voronca, in "The traditions and beliefs of the Romanian people" emphasizes the almost mystical character of wheat: "Behold: this is wheat, said God, with it and with the fruit shall men be fed."
Wheat flour - composition
Depending on the type of wheat variety, the climatic and agrotechnical conditions of cultivation, the degree of biological maturation, the milling technology and the degree of extraction, wheat flour has a different chemical composition. Wheat flour contains water (13 – 15 %) and dry matter comprising proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, minerals, vitamins, pigments and enzymes.
The gluten
The gluten is a protein present in some cereals, with insignificant nutritional value. The main function of gluten is that of a binder because it "holds on" to the carbon dioxide released by the yeast and helps bakery products rise. It's what makes the dough elastic, fluffy and beautifully risen.
With a low gluten content, the products obtained will have a flattened shape and a low duration of freshness.
Low-gluten flour is mainly used in the preparation of pastry products such as biscuits or puff pastry because it gives them tenderness.
The protein components of gluten, glutenin and gliadin, due to the specific content of amino acids, are responsible for the inadequate immune response of some people genetically predisposed to it.
Types of wheat flour
In order to obtain optimal results in the use of wheat flour it is imperative to know the differences between the types of flour.
These differences come from the use of a certain part of the wheat grain: the endosperm or mealy mass, the germ or embryo rich in proteins, fats and vitamins, and the coat or bran, the fiber-rich part.
White flour is made from the endosperm only. It has a natural yellowish-yellow color, but is often bleached or mixed with oxidizing chemicals to produce a white color. Brown flour includes the germ and bran, while wholemeal flour includes all three parts.
Use of types of wheat flour
Depending on the gluten content flour of wheat can be:
Type 650 flour, so-called "high gluten flour/bread flour" in the USA, "82 flour" in France, "1 flour" in Italy, is obtained from durum wheat. It has a high gluten concentration and is suitable for baking elastic doughs that require leavening, such as for example bread, pizza dough or focaccia.
Type 550 flour, or "all purpose flour" in the US, "55 flour" in France, "0 flour" in Italy and "plain flour" in the UK, is a mixture of durum wheat and soft wheat. It is the most versatile flour as it can be used for both cakes and bread, but the results will not be spectacular. It is suitable for the recipes of biscuits, muffins, tart doughs, pie sheets or croissants.
Type 000 and 480 flour, or "pastry flour" in the US, "40 flour" in France and "00 flour" in Italy, is also a mixture of durum and soft wheat, but with more soft wheat in the composition. It is recommended for the preparation of doughs for tarts, light pastry doughs or for delicate cakes.
The numbers on the packaging are actually an indication of the nutritional value. The higher the number, the closer we are to wholemeal flour, which is healthier.
Article written by Gabriela Dan, Editor of Arta Albă
Read on the Arta Albă website and: Innovative ingredients in the classic bread recipe
