Flours and Flour Mixtures

Vocabulary flashcards about flours and flour mixtures.

A division of milled flour based on particle size.

Stream

Flour containing the finest streams produced during milling.

Patent flour

Flour containing all the different types of streams produced during milling.

Straight flour

A process of milling grains that involves soaking them in water to soften the kernel and ease separation of components.

Wet milling

Whole-wheat flour

Flour made from the entire wheat kernel, including the bran, germ, and endosperm; also known as graham or entire-wheat flour.

Crumb

The cell structure within the interior of a baked product that is revealed when it is sliced and that affects texture.

Yeast

A single-celled fungus used for producing food products such as bread and alcohol that is able to ferment sugars.

Knead

To work dough into an elastic mass by pushing, stretching, and folding it.

Dough

A flour mixture that is dry enough to be handled and kneaded.

Batter

A flour mixture that contains more water than a dough and whose consistency ranges from pourable to sticky.

Proof

To increase the volume of shaped dough through continued fermentation with yeast, that is, to allow dough to rise.

Baking soda

A white chemical leavening powder consisting of sodium bicarbonate.

Baking powder

A chemical leavener consisting of a mixture of baking soda, acid(s), and an inert filler such as cornstarch.

Flour

A fine powder usually made by grinding the endosperm portion of cereal grains.

Yeast bread

Bread made with yeast, which produces carbon dioxide gas through the process of fermentation, causing the bread to rise.

Quick bread

Bread leavened with air, steam, and/or carbon dioxide from baking soda or baking powder.

Albumins

Plant proteins that are water-soluble.

Globulins

Plant proteins that are soluble in salt solutions.

Prolamins

Plant proteins that are alcohol-soluble.

Glutelins

Plant proteins that are soluble in dilute acid or alkali.

Gliadin

The main prolamin fraction for wheat.

Zein

The main prolamin fraction for corn.

Glutenin

An alcohol-insoluble protein, classified as glutelin.

Vital wheat gluten

Dried gluten sold as a product to increase protein content in various foods.

Baker's asthma

A condition resulting from the inhalation of flour particles.

Celiac disease

An immune disorder in which the body creates antibodies to gluten damaging the intestinal wall.

Nonceliac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS)

A reaction to cereals containing gluten without creating antibodies or damaging the intestinal lining.

Starch

A compound in flour that strengthens baked items through gelatinization.

Amylases

Enzymes in flour that break down starch.

Dextrins

Compounds produced by the breakdown of starch that coat the crust with a shiny layer.

Gluten

An elastic network formed when gliadin and glutenin combine in flour mixtures.

Gliadin

A type of protein in flour that gives fluidity and stickiness to gluten.

Glutenin

A type of protein in flour that gives elasticity to gluten.

Hydration

Wetting the flour proteins, the first step in gluten formation.

Milling

The process in which the grain kernel's endosperm is ground into a fine powder known as flour.

Bran

The outer layers of a cereal grain kernel.

Germ

The embryo of a cereal grain kernel.

Breaking

The first step in modern milling, where break rollers remove the bran and germ layers from the grain's endosperm.

Break flour

The result of the breaking stage in milling, which still has some bran attached to the endosperm layer.

Purifying

The second step in milling, where air currents remove any remaining bran from the flour.

Middlings

Endosperms freed from the whole grain and now free of bran.

Reducing

The stage in milling where smooth-surfaced reduction rollers grind the middlings into flour.

Sifting

The step in milling where flour is sifted into streams.

Classifying

The final step in milling, where flour is classified based on its streams.

Short patents

Flour from the center of the endosperm, high in starch, best for pastry flour.

Long patents

Flour containing more protein from the outer areas of the endosperm, preferred for bread flours.

Clear flour

Flour left over from patent flour, subdivided into fancy clear, first clear, and second clear.

Wheat berries

The entire wheat kernel including the bran, germ, and endosperm.

Malt

Germinated barley.

Soft wheat

Type of wheat with the least protein and highest starch content, ideal for tender baked goods.

Hard wheat

Type of wheat with higher protein content, preferred for making yeast bread.

Durum wheat

Type of wheat with the most protein, milled into semolina flour for pasta.

Ash content

Mineral content of flour.

Functional food

Food that may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and lower body weight.

Bread flour

Flour with high gluten content ideal for making yeast breads.

Simple proteins

Proteins composed only of amino acids.

Conjugated proteins

Proteins combined with non-amino acid components.

Derived proteins

Proteins derived from simple or conjugated proteins.

Albumin

A water-soluble plant protein, often consisting of enzymes.

Oxidative enzymes

Enzymes that help bleach flour.

Phytase

An enzyme that breaks down phytic acid.

Kneading

Realigning protein molecules so they run roughly in the same direction.

Disulfide bonds

Sulfur-to-sulfur bonds that help link gluten proteins together.

Vital wheat gluten

Dried gluten used to increase the protein content of flours and other products.

Anaphylactic shock

A severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction.

Villi

Finger-like projections in the intestinal wall important for absorption.

Dermatitis herpetiformis

A blistering skin rash associated with celiac disease.

Antibodies

Proteins created by the body to attack specific foreign substances.

Mortar and pestle

Tools originally used to grind grain into whole-grain flour.

Gelatinization

The process by which starch granules absorb water and swell during baking.

Fine crumb

Delicate with small, densely packed air bubbles.

Coarse crumb

Large, often irregular air holes.

Amylose

A straight-chain starch molecule.

Amylopectin

Branched chain starch molecule.

Elastics

The ability of dough to stretch and return to its original shape.

Plastic

The ability of dough to be molded and retain its shape.

Viscosity

Measure of liquid Resistance to flow.

Oxidation

Exposure to air (oxygen), which improves dough strength and reduces staling.

Shortening

Fat that interferes with gluten development, creating a more tender crumb.

Maillard Reaction

A chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned food its distinctive flavor.

Caramelization

The browning of sugar that occurs when heated.

Tunnels

Elongated holes that may develop in baked goods due to overmixing.

Hygroscopic

Water-retaining.

Flaky sea salt

Salt with a greater surface area that allows for greater distribution.

Leavening agent

Substance causing expansion of doughs and batters by the release of gases.

Osmotically

Movement of water molecules through a semipermeable membrane from a region of high water concentration to a region of low water concentration

Starter

A culture of microorganisms, usually bacteria and/or yeasts.

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)

Leavening agent known, chemically yields carbon dioxide with moisture and an acid.

Potassium Bicarbonate

Leavening agent people on low-sodium diets may use, potassium results in a leavener.

Fast-acting powder

Baking powder available only to commercial bakers. Creates carbon dioxide as soon as water is added.

Double-acting baking powder

Baking powder reacts twice: once when moistened and again during heating.

The FDA states that honey breads and rolls should contain at least what %honey?

The FDA states that honey breads and rolls should contain at least 8% honey.

Semolina

Coarsely ground flour best suited for the manufacture of hard pasta products.

All-purpose flour

Contains less protein than bread flours that need strong gluten development.

Pastry Flour

Cream-colored flour is derived from soft wheat with short to medium patents.

Cake Flour

This flour used to make cakes is pure white and has a very fine, silky, soft texture. Gluten content of regular flour would make cakes tough.

Graham Flour

Crackers were originally made with whole-wheat graham flour that was produced by combining a finely ground endosperm with a coarsely ground germ and bran.

Ancient Grain Flours

The ancient wheat grains of einkorn, emmer, Kamut, and spelt can all be milled to yield their respective flours

High-Gluten Flour

Terms high-gluten flour, vital wheat gluten, and seitan are often used interchangeably, yet they really represent three different products.

Rye Flour

The lower gluten potential of rye flour contributes to a very compact bread such as pumpernickel.