Baking is not a secret art that only a select few can experience. Anyone can become a great baker with time and practice. Apart from having a good team to work with, having top quality ingredients is key. Furthermore, it is also important to understand what role your ingredients play.

If you are baking something, there is a good chance that you have some flour in it. The flour is the base of whatever you are making. It gives structure to your product. What you are making and the type of end result you are looking for determines what type of flour is used. Certain flours will make a fluffier, lighter bread. Others will end up with a heavy and dense one.

As the name implies, all-purpose flour is a standard for many different types of products. It comes bleached and unbleached and works well on just about everything. It is also the least expensive. It can be purchased in 5 and 10 pound bags at the supermarket. Most basic recipes call for all-purpose flour, including those for scones, chocolate chip cookies, and sponge cakes.

In addition to all-purpose, there are many flours that are used for specific results. These include cake flour, self raising flour, bread flour, whole wheat, rye, oats, and soy flours. The one you choose will affect the outcome of your product.

As the name suggests, cake flour is used to make cakes and fine pastries. It is low in protein, usually around seven percent, and can contain large amounts of fat and sugar, resulting in a tender crumb. Cake flour is made from the soft part of wheat called the endosperm. Not surprisingly, this is the most tender part of the wheat. It then goes through a heavy grinding process to make it finer and fluffier.

Self raising flour is not as popular, but it is still used for specific recipes. It is simply all purpose flour with salt and a leaving agent added. If your recipe calls for this, you can buy it at the store or make your own.

Bread flour is a protein-rich flour used specifically for bread. It has a high gluten content. While it can be used for all-purpose flour in a pinch, it won’t produce the tender crumb desired in cakes and desserts.

Whole wheat, rye, oat and soy flours all have unique characteristics of their own. They are definitely in the “specialty” flour category and should be used carefully in recipes that do not call for them.