All-purpose flour is a type of wheat flour that is milled from wheat. The purpose flour includes hard red wheat and a blend of hard & soft wheat in a 3:1 ratio. The all-purpose flour flour got its name thanks to its suitability for different types of baked food. It is suitable for pizza dough, breads, cakes, muffins, and different types of cookies.
What is All Purpose Flour Used For?
All-purpose flour is an integral ingredient for baking any type of dish. All-purpose helps in a variety of ways and hence it is slightly differentiated from other specialised flours. Since the all-purpose flour has moderate protein it provides the right formation for gluten-based baked structures that have soft structure. From fluffy cakes to chewy cookies, all-purpose flour can bake every type of texture at the right baking temperature.
The Uses of All-Purpose Flour
There are multiple recipes that are created using all-purpose flour. The list is given below.
- Pizza Dough
- Baking Breads
- Cake
- Pastries
- Cookies
- Frying Batter
- Noodles
- Pasta
- Tarts
All Purpose Flour in the UK
In the United Kingdom purpose flour is also known as “plain flour”. At the same time, self-raising flour in the UK is known as self-rising flour in the USA. The protein differences of different countries’ flour make the final recipes come out different from one another. The availability of different flour mixes also gives the final recipe a specific touch such as Cake flour or bread flour. The versatility of all purpose flour makes it a popular choice among British citizens.
Key Uses of all-purpose flour in UK
Baking:
Plain all purpose flour is used widely for baking in British cuisine. Famous varieties such as sponge cake, cream tea, and bread cookies require all purpose flour.
Batter for Chips:
Plain flour is used to create batter for some of the famous British dishes. These dishes include chips, fish, and crispy varieties.
Sauces:
A mix of flour is used to create sauces and gravies for many traditional dishes. The flour provides a thick consistency to enhance the taste of the dish.
Meat Crusts:
Flour is useful to create the crust for Fruit pies and meat pies. All purpose flour creates a tender texture that is suitable for crust.
Pancakes:
British cuisine is not complete with pancakes. All-purpose flour is used widely to create different types of pancakes and crepes.
Cooking & Baking Tips
- Use a weight scale to measure the accuracy of flour
- Sift flour before using
- Keep ingredients at room temperature
- Avoid over-mixing flour
- For some baking recipes, keep the dough in a resting position after mixing
Availability & Buying Guide
All-purpose flour carries around 9-12% protein content. Which is usually more than cake flour but less than hard bread flour. There are few things you should keep in mind before making your purchase.
- Check the protein
- Check the source
- Consider buying options
- Specialty Flours
- Check Reviews
How to Preserve All purpose flour?
- Keep in a cool and dry place
- Use airtight containers
- Keep away from bad odors
- Check regularly to make sure there isn’t any paste
- Refrigerate it if you are not using it for long-term
- Label the date
Gluten-Free Alternatives of All Purpose Flour
- Rice Flour
- Almond Flour
- Coconut Flour
- Corn Flour
- Chickpea Flour
All-purpose flour lives up to its name by inciting all the baked varieties to fit into the spectrum of taste, texture, and quality. For markets like the United Kingdom purpose flour is an essential part of the daily cooking experience. There is a vast variety of native dishes that use only all purpose flour.
