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| Peony Wedding Cake |
Bleaching the flour -- the chemical method of adding potassium bromate, chlorine dioxide, benzoyl peroxide or chlorine gas during milling hastens the aging process. Aging the flour develops a stronger gluten that enhances the final product. Besides quickly aging the flour, bleaching also changes its protein molecules, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The lower protein of bleached flour results in baked goods that are lighter and more tender. For example, many bakers use bleached flour for cakes, pie crusts, pancakes and pastries. Bleached flour is also often used in baked goods where whiteness is a priority, such as angel food cake. Cake flour is an example of a bleached flour. Another benefit of bleached flour is the ability of the flour to retain more liquid than it normally would. This is called a high-ratio cake flour. If a recipe has a ratio of liquid ingredients that is higher than the ratio of flour, the bleached molecule component of the flour actually bonds with the liquid ingredients and "holds" its form.
2. UNBLEACHED FLOUR
Unbleached flour is aged naturally by exposing it to air up to several weeks after milling. It contains higher levels of gluten, and its off-white appearance is a result of the absence of the oxidizing chemical additives. Unbleached flour can be substituted in equal parts for its bleached counterpart; however, the higher protein levels will change the consistency of the product. For example, while cakes and pastries baked with unbleached flour may suffer with a texture that is denser and heavier, unbleached flour is recommended for yeast breads. Cookies also generally fare well when baked with unbleached flour. Bread is made with unbleached flour and has a higher protein and gluten content.
Choosing the right kind of flour can make a difference when making cakes, cookies, breads, and pastries!
