Hey! In reaction to my recent post on yeast I’ve been asked “what about flour”? Well, I’m not a baker, I’m not into cake, cookies and pastry – just baking bread from time to time.

So here’s my (very condensed and one-sided) information on flour types that I have learned over the last couple of years, with special focus on the differences / translations between american and german. Good sources for more information are cheatsheet.com and weekendbakery.com.

(Concerning that Image: I’ve actually never heard of “Flour Type 812” here in Germany…)

 

 

 

German Standard Wheat Flour, “Type 405”

Allround-kitchen-flour, for flouring your work surface up to thickening sauces and making roux. Also the normal pastry flour (that I don’t know anthing about). Not good for baking bread.

 

German Wheat Flour, “Type 550”

The american “all-purpose flour”. Good for baking bread, and really “all purpose”.

 

American “Cake Flour”

Good for fluffy cakes, etc, not good for bread.
Formula: 1 cup cake flour = ¾ cup all-purpose flour + 2 tbsp. cornstarch

 

American “Self Rising Flour”

As the name says. Never used it, read more about it here.
Formula: 4 cups all-purpose flour + 2 tbsp. baking powder + 1 tsp. fine salt 

 

Italian Pasta Flour, “Type 00”

“Durum wheat flour” in english. Used for Noodle making, not for baking. If not available,
Formula: all-purpose flour + durum wheat semolina in a ratio of 1:1.

 

Exotic: Asian Tempura Flour

Used for deep frying asian tempura dishes, not for baking at all. Available for cheap in most asia stores.
Formula: 1 cup flour (405) + 1 tbsp. rice flour + 1 tbsp corn starch

 
Just my two cents.