The Ultimate Guide to Using All-Purpose Flour

Chances are, you’ve got a bag of all-purpose flour hanging out in your pantry. You might use it often, or it might just be sitting there, waiting for its next big moment. Whether you’re baking, thickening sauces, or breading food, this pantry staple is more versatile than you think. In this guide, we’ll show you all the ways you can make the most of that bag of flour and get creative in the kitchen. 

What Is All-Purpose Flour?

All-purpose flour works for just about anything you want to bake. It’s a mix of strong and soft wheat, giving it a medium gluten level—around 12%. This makes it great for everything from pizza dough and crusty breads to fruit cakes, chocolate chip cookies, and pancakes.

The reason it’s called all-purpose flour is because it can handle a wide range of baked goods. It’s not as strong as bread flour, which has more gluten for chewy bread. All-purpose flour is also not as soft as cake flour, which is great for light and fluffy cakes. It’s somewhere in the middle, so it’s a good go-to for most recipes.

All-purpose flour is made from both hard red wheat and soft wheat, usually in an 80:20 mix. It’s convenient because you don’t need a bunch of different flours in your kitchen. Whether you’re making biscuits, banana muffins, or thickening a sauce, all-purpose flour is your friend.

In other countries like the UK, all-purpose flour is known as plain flour, but it’s the same thing. Though it’s called all-purpose, it’s not always the perfect choice for every recipe, but it’s a solid option for most baking tasks. So, if you don’t want to stock up on a bunch of different types of flour, this one will get the job done.

What Is All-Purpose Flour Used For?

All-purpose flour is one of the most versatile ingredients in the kitchen. It’s great for baking, cooking, and even frying. Whether you’re making a cake or thickening a sauce, this flour can do it all. Here’s a breakdown of what it’s used for:

1. Baking Bread

All-purpose flour is a go-to choice for many types of bread. In fact, it’s one of the most important ingredients in baking bread. You can use it to make quick breads, muffins, and some yeast breads. While not as strong as bread flour, which is preferred for chewier, crusty loaves, it still works well for everyday baking.

2. Making Cakes and Cookies

All-purpose flour is a key ingredient when making cakes and cookies. It provides the right balance of texture and structure so baked products hold together without being too dense or too light. Whether you’re making a simple sponge cake or red velvet cookies, this flour is up for the task.

3. Baking Pastries

Pie crusts, biscuits, and other pastries also rely on all-purpose flour. It creates a tender texture that’s not too heavy, so it’s perfect for flaky pastries. It’s a must-have for any pie baker or biscuit lover.

4. Making Pizza Dough

You can also use all-purpose flour to make pizza dough, though it’s not the top choice for a chewy, restaurant-style crust. Bread flour is usually preferred for its higher gluten content, but all-purpose flour will still work in a pinch.

4. Thickening Soups and Sauces

All-purpose flour shines in cooking, too. It’s often used as a thickening agent for sauces, gravies, soups, and stews. It gets the job done, whether you’re making a rich gravy for your roast or thickening a creamy sauce.

5. Coating 

You can coat meats, vegetables, or other ingredients in all-purpose flour before frying them. Doing this gives them a nice crispy outer layer. You’ll see this in recipes for fried chicken, fish, or vegetables. Think of crispy and golden tempura or battered fish.

Why It Works

All-purpose flour is made from a blend of hard and soft wheat with moderate protein. This protein is called gluten. It gives dough its elasticity, which allows it to stretch and rise. It also makes all-purpose flour so adaptable. Whether you’re baking or cooking, this flour is a reliable choice for many sweet and savory recipes. 

What Does All-Purpose Flour Taste Like?

All-purpose flour doesn’t have much flavor. If you were to taste it alone, it would just taste bland, dry, and powdery. The real flavor in food made with all-purpose flour comes from the other ingredients, like sugar, salt, fats, and yeast.

When the dough or batter is cooked, the starches in the flour caramelize. This process adds a slight sweetness or depth to the flavor, but the flour itself remains neutral. It’s really just a base ingredient that helps give structure to the dish while the other flavors do the heavy lifting.

Bleached vs. Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

The main difference between bleached and unbleached flour comes down to how they’re processed and their texture.

Bleached flour has been treated with chemicals like chlorine gas or benzoyl peroxide to speed up the aging process. This makes the flour softer and finer, with a whiter color. The softer texture also gives baked goods a lighter, fluffier feel. It’s great for cookies, pie crusts, and muffins. Plus, dishes made with bleached flour often have brighter colors and more delicate textures.

On the other hand, unbleached flour ages naturally after milling. It’s off-white in color and has a slightly coarser, denser grain. The natural aging process gives it a richer, more complex flavor. Since it has more structure, unbleached flour is better for recipes that need a sturdier base. These include dense cakes, pastries, and shortbreads. It also provides a more solid structure in baked goods.

While both are often used for all-purpose baking, unbleached flour usually takes longer to produce, making it a bit more expensive than bleached flour. While they can be used in similar ways, the texture and final result in your baking might vary depending on which one you choose.

Cake Flour vs.  All-Purpose Flour

Cake flour and all-purpose flour are popular in baking, but they’re different in key ways. Here are the differences between cake flour and all-purpose flour:

Protein Content 

Cake flour has less protein (about 10%) compared to all-purpose flour, which has around 11.7%. Protein is important because it turns into gluten when mixed with liquids. Then, gluten helps baked goods rise and get structure. With lower protein, cake flour forms less gluten, which is great for soft, tender cakes. It gives them a finer, lighter crumb.

Texture and Use 

All-purpose flour is more versatile. It works for cakes, breads, cookies, and other baked goods. It has a little more structure, so it’s ideal when you need a balance between texture and tenderness. Cake flour, on the other hand, is better for baked goods that need to be light and delicate. These include angel food cakes, sponge cakes, or melt-in-your-mouth cookies.

Substituting 

You can use all-purpose flour if you don’t have cake flour, but the result may be slightly coarser with a less tender crumb. On the other hand, you can’t always swap cake flour for all-purpose flour in recipes. It’s because the lower protein in cake flour might cause cakes or cookies to be too delicate or fall apart. If you’re in a pinch, you can make a cake flour substitute by adding cornstarch to all-purpose flour to lower its protein content.

Both flours can work in many recipes, but cake flour is best for light, airy baked goods. Meanwhile, all-purpose flour is an excellent all-around option.

Nutritional Value of All-Purpose Flour

All-purpose flour is made by removing the bran and germ from wheat, which means it loses much of its nutritional value. Bran contains most of the vitamins and minerals in wheat. Without it, all-purpose flour has fewer nutrients. 

However, it provides some calories and carbohydrates, but it’s not a significant source of vitamins or minerals. Compared to whole wheat flour, which keeps the bran and germ, all-purpose flour has less fiber, so it’s less nutritious.

Whole wheat flour is a healthier choice because it has more fiber, vitamins, and minerals. If you want a more nutritious option, use whole wheat flour or other flours that preserve these nutrients. All-purpose flour is fine for baking, but it’s not the best for boosting your nutrient intake.

How To Use All-Purpose Flour

All-purpose flour is a key ingredient in many recipes, but using it the right way can make all the difference. Check out how to use all-purpose flour below. 

1. Measuring All-Purpose Flour

The most accurate way to measure flour is by weighing it. Doing this makes sure your recipe turns out right. One cup of all-purpose flour equals about 125 grams. However, this can vary slightly depending on the brand.

You can also use the nutritional label on the flour bag to find out how much a cup weighs. For example, if the label says 1/4 cup equals 30 grams, then one cup equals 120 grams.

If you don’t have a scale, use the spoon-and-level method. Scoop or put the flour into the measuring cup or spoon, then level it off with a knife. Doing this helps avoid packing too much flour into the cup or tablespoon.

2. Mixing With Other Ingredients

All-purpose flour is usually combined with other ingredients like sugar, salt, eggs, butter, and a leavening agent (yeast, baking powder, or baking soda). These ingredients work together to give your baked goods texture and flavor.

Mix the dry ingredients (like flour) first, then add the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined to avoid overmixing, which can develop too much gluten and make the product tough.

3. Baking With All-Purpose Flour

Once your dough or batter is ready, pour it into the prepared pan and bake as instructed. The flour will help create the structure and texture of the finished product.

Make sure you’re baking at the right temperature and for the right amount of time to get the best results.

4. Using All-Purpose Flour as a Thickener

Melt butter or heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Add an equal amount of flour (for example, one tablespoon of butter to one tablespoon of flour). Then, stir constantly to form a smooth paste.

Gradually add the liquid (like broth or milk) while stirring. Doing this produces a thick sauce, soup, or gravy. Let the mixture simmer until it thickens to the desired consistency.

5. Adjustments for Different Recipes

You can use all-purpose flour if a recipe calls for cake flour or bread flour. For instance, you can substitute cake flour with a mix of all-purpose flour and cornstarch. However, it may slightly affect the texture. 

Some recipes, especially those developed by specific flour brands, will list the flour’s weight in grams. Always measure according to their instructions for the best results.

How to Store All-Purpose Flour

Store all-purpose flour in a cool, dry place like a pantry for six to eight months. Make sure the package is tightly sealed. If you live in a hot or humid area, put the opened flour in a plastic bag and store it in the fridge. Just make sure to keep it away from strong-smelling foods like onions, as flour can easily absorb odors. 

You can also put all-purpose in the freezer for long-term storage. Just be mindful of insects, which might lay eggs in the flour. Check for any signs of rancidity as well, although that’s more common with whole grain flours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

All-purpose flour is a kitchen MVP. Whether you’re baking, cooking, or frying, it’s the go-to ingredient for so many recipes. With just a little know-how, you can use it for many tasks, from thickening sauces to making perfect cookies. Happy baking and cooking!

About HICAPS

Over the years, HICAPS has helped bakers and businesses make delicious products by offering ingredients like ChiffonAide Cake Oil, Magic Whizk Whipping Cream, Red Velvet Flavor Emulco, and Instabake Brownie Mix. 

HICAPS also provides tools and resources to valued partners, such as the free “How to Increase Your Sales Amidst the Pandemic” E-book and free dealer locator that helps look for baking ingredients near me. 

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