In our last exploration, we delved into which high protein flour is right for you, ideal for crafting beautiful risen bread loaves. But what about the delicate world of cakes, cookies and other tender baked goods?
Today, we'll guide you through with a comparison on low protein flours, also known as cake flour or soft flour.
Does Flour Type Affect Your Bakes?
If you've ever wondered if there's a difference between all those cake flours at the supermarket? The answer is yes! The specific type of low protein flour can impact the final texture and character of your sweet treats.
Many bakers start with plain all-purpose flour from the supermarket, but the world of baking flour goes way beyond that. But with so many options, how do you pick the right one?
We put three different types of low protein flour to the test by baking basic sponge cake, muffins and madeleines, namely:
- Nisshin Violet
- Nisshin Crystal
- Local Brand X
Through this baking experiment, we can explore how each flour affects the outcome, helping you choose the perfect flour for your next baking adventure!
Main Differences in Low Protein Flour
[Protein Content]
Even within the category of low protein flour, it's worth noting that the protein content can vary slightly between brands.
The lower the protein content, the more limited its capacity to absorb water.
This translates to lesser gluten development, resulting in a looser structure in your baked goods.
Since less water is incorporated, the final product absorbs less moisture during baking, leading to a more tender and crumbly outcome.
[Ash Content]
- Higher ash content = flour contains more of the germ, bran, and outer endosperm
- Lower ash content = flour is more of the endosperm part and is more highly refined (i.e., lower extraction rate)
Flours that have a higher percentage of bran and germ, such as high extraction flours, will have a higher ash content because these parts of the wheat kernel contain more minerals.
To produce low protein flour, the bran and germ of the wheat kernel, which are high in minerals, are removed during the milling process.
In general, the lower the protein content, the lower the ash content is. This is also demonstrated in the flour options that we are using in this experiment:
- Nisshin Violet with the lowest protein content has the lowest ash content of 0.33%
- Nisshin Crystal with a slightly higher protein content has a higher ash content of 0.34-0.4%
- Local Brand X's ash content is not disclosed on the packaging
Three Brands of Low Protein Flours: Will there be a Difference?
Out of the three flours we tested, Violet had the whitest color and finest texture. It was also smoother, but tended to clump more easily. Local brand X had the roughest texture, somewhat grainy. Crystal fell somewhere in between, with a texture similar to Violet but slightly less fine and less smooth.
Sponge Cake
- Visual Appearance: Violet has a flat top, whereas Crystal and Brand X has a dome.
- Colour: Violet has the lightest colour, appearing more orangey-yellow. Crystal is yellow, and the local brand X is orangey-yellow but is darkest in colour.
- Size: Violet and Crystal has a similar volume but local brand X appears to be the smallest and shortest after it's baked.
- Texture: Violet has the most moist texure. Crystal's texture is lighter and fluffier than Violet, but it was not as moist. Local brand X has the densest texture and the driest mouthfeel out of the three.
Muffin
Using the same recipe, method, as well as baking temperature and time, the only variable was the flour type. Yet, the resulting muffins showed a clear difference, with variations in height and colour.
Looking at the cross-section, the Violet muffin stands out with its superior moisture and fluffiest texture. It's also the lightest coloured of the three.
The Crystal flour muffin boasts the highest volume, with a slightly yellowish hue. While its texture is relatively light, it falls short of Violet's moisture.
Local brand X's muffin emerges from the oven the shortest and smallest. Compared to the others, its texture is drier with a denser crumb.
Madeleines
As mentioned above, the flour protein content can influence texture. The lower protein flour leads to a lighter and more tender crumb. Violet with the lowest protein content, has the lightest crumb and fluffiest texture.
Crystal is relatively light and fluffy, but it has a slightly coarser texture compared to Violet. Local brand X on the other hand, turned out the smallest in size with dry and coarse crumb texture.
So which is the most ideal flour?
Based on the above comparison, it is apparent that the different types of flour can affect the volume, texture and colour of your baked goods.
Choosing the right flour is important depending on what sweets you wish to bake and the type of texture you wish to achieve.
Quality Matters
While exploring different flours to achieve your desired textures, remember that quality also plays a role. As we saw with Local Brand X flour, even though pricing wise, it is cheaper than Violet and Crystal, the choice of flour can significantly impact volume, texture, and overall outcome.
You may purchase either Nisshin Violet or Nisshin Crystal on our e-commerce site by clicking on the product image below:
Don't be afraid to experiment and find the flours that elevate your baking to new heights!
If you wish for our team to assist you in R&D for the most suitable flour for you, do not hesitate to reach out to us HERE.