Though there are many different types of flour, the that most people bake with is normally made from wheat. A lot of people do not have enough fiber in their diets, so going for ordinary white flour might not be a good idea. That's where whole grain flour comes in. And many people's tip as the best whole grain flour for baking is spelt.
If you're new to baking the best piece of advice is to keep things simple. The reason why spelt is such a good choice for the first-time baker is that it has a sweet, mild flavor and is one of the most popular around. Over the years it's been used to make pie crust as well as sandwich bread.
You might think that spelt is a fairly new product, especially if you have not heard of it. However, you could not be further from the truth. It dates back to around the Bronze Age, when Europeans were using it to bake their bread, so it's no new kid in town. As a guide to how it looks, be sure to be on the hunt for its reddish color, said by some to resemble a cross between sunflower seeds and barley.
What really makes it stand out is its mild, sweet taste, It exhibits absolutely none of the bitter taste that some whole wheat flours are often criticized for. It's not heavy either, in fact the text is quite soft and the bread is quite tender. One drawback of spelt for some is that it has gluten, so if you're after a gluten-free product you're out of luck.
The one thing that this product can be called is versatile. When used to make muffins or breads, it retains the mildness and that sweetness that it's noted for. Some prefer to combine it with traditional flours, so that they get the goodness of the whole grains and flavor of traditional bread. If you fancy doing something different, try using it to make pie crusts.
Anyone with experience using the product might want to go a little further than just make bread. Spelt makes a great pizza-crust, one which dispenses with the need for yeast. Cookies, too, are no problem, as long as you don't mind if the finished product is a little puffier and dense than what you're used too.
One of the things to take note of when making baked goods with whole grains is that it has less gluten than most other products, and because if this some people prefer to use a combination of flours when baking. In fact, some recipes actually call for you to use a combination of flours for best results. Another thing to consider is that, if you are using yeast, you'll need around half of your flour to have gluten in it.
Although spelt is probably the best whole grain flour for baking, it really depends on what your tastes are and ultimately what you are baking. Soft flours usually have much less gluten, and things like barley, rye and oat actually have none so perhaps this should be considered if you're looking to mix whole grain with a low gluten product.
If you're new to baking the best piece of advice is to keep things simple. The reason why spelt is such a good choice for the first-time baker is that it has a sweet, mild flavor and is one of the most popular around. Over the years it's been used to make pie crust as well as sandwich bread.
You might think that spelt is a fairly new product, especially if you have not heard of it. However, you could not be further from the truth. It dates back to around the Bronze Age, when Europeans were using it to bake their bread, so it's no new kid in town. As a guide to how it looks, be sure to be on the hunt for its reddish color, said by some to resemble a cross between sunflower seeds and barley.
What really makes it stand out is its mild, sweet taste, It exhibits absolutely none of the bitter taste that some whole wheat flours are often criticized for. It's not heavy either, in fact the text is quite soft and the bread is quite tender. One drawback of spelt for some is that it has gluten, so if you're after a gluten-free product you're out of luck.
The one thing that this product can be called is versatile. When used to make muffins or breads, it retains the mildness and that sweetness that it's noted for. Some prefer to combine it with traditional flours, so that they get the goodness of the whole grains and flavor of traditional bread. If you fancy doing something different, try using it to make pie crusts.
Anyone with experience using the product might want to go a little further than just make bread. Spelt makes a great pizza-crust, one which dispenses with the need for yeast. Cookies, too, are no problem, as long as you don't mind if the finished product is a little puffier and dense than what you're used too.
One of the things to take note of when making baked goods with whole grains is that it has less gluten than most other products, and because if this some people prefer to use a combination of flours when baking. In fact, some recipes actually call for you to use a combination of flours for best results. Another thing to consider is that, if you are using yeast, you'll need around half of your flour to have gluten in it.
Although spelt is probably the best whole grain flour for baking, it really depends on what your tastes are and ultimately what you are baking. Soft flours usually have much less gluten, and things like barley, rye and oat actually have none so perhaps this should be considered if you're looking to mix whole grain with a low gluten product.
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