Flour Functionality: Alternative Options
The best type of flour for a cookie is likely not the best choice for a baguette. A retail bakery has rigorous standards for product quality and consistency and therefore relies on a range of flours for specific purposes.
Testing Flour
“To really hone in on formulas and processes, bakeries can have their flour tested,” explains Josh Reasoner, milling technical service manager, ADM.
Farinograph Testing
The farinograph is a piece of lab equipment that analyzes the performance of the protein present. It’s an industry standard and can provide valuable data on not only how much water will be needed to hydrate the flour but also the time that flour comes together in an optimal mix, Reasoner says.
Gluten-Free Rice Flour
Gluten-free products have become tremendously popular in recent years, and non-gluten Japanese rice flour offers a safe alternative as it contains even less gluten compared to gluten-free labeled foods.
Cheesy Rice Buns
During a recent online Japanese rice flour demonstration, organized by the Culinary Institute of America along with Anna Tsumara from Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Center (J FoodO) Chef Dianne Rossomando of The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY, associate professor, baking and pastry arts, demonstrated how to make cheesy rice buns.
Rice Flour Apple Fritters
The second recipe the chef demonstrated was for gluten-free apple fritters. The addition of 5 grams of xanthan gum (1% of total recipe) gives the final dough more structure. Use a low protein flour, the chef points out. “The lovely bonus is that it’s gluten free. You get a nice combination of flavors.”
Soluble Rice Flour
Consumer demand for recognizable ingredients continues to grow. In response, Cargill has launched a soluble rice flour, SimPure™ 92260, that exhibits similar taste, texture and functionality as maltodextrin, an ingredient commonly used as a bulking agent and flavor carrier.
Soy Flour
Soy flour used in baking is often added at levels of up to 5% on a bakers percentage basis. At levels of up to 5%, defatted soy flour can Increase the protein content, as well as the nutritional quality of the protein, according to the Northern Crops Institute based in Fargo, North Dakota.
Added Extensibility
Soy flour can provide added extensibility to the dough, which is beneficial in specialty breads and sheeted products, such as flat breads, pizza crusts and croissants and other laminated dough products.
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