Why the right flour is important

There’s more than meets the eye to this kitchen essential

If you take a quick scroll through your online accounts, it would seem like everyone has decided to pick up the same hobby over the past few months – baking. Banana bread and focaccia are dominating feeds, people are swapping cookies with friends, donating treats, or simply using the kitchen as a way to mark time and relieve stress. 

But here’s something you don’t usually see: most drool-worthy baked goodies were made with flour. Virtually every baking recipe requires it, from breads to pastries. Most newbie or home bakers don’t really know a lot of the basics behind flour when in fact, the quality and type of flour can affect the outcome of your baked goods, from the texture and crew, to flavor.

You don’t need to be a flour expert to choose the right flour! For all of you new bakers, here’s a quick cheat sheet on what you need to know about flour: 

Gives your baked goods structure. The strength of flour is measured by the quality and amount of its gluten content. It’s what gives baked goods its structure and makes the dough elastic and firm, so it’s best to choose the best type for your recipe. All-purpose and whole wheat flours are made with harder wheat is higher in gluten and therefore good for breads and loaves. Meanwhile, cake flour is made with soft, finer wheat, and therefore good for delicate pastries like cakes and crepes. Different types also affect the texture and tastiness of bread. 

Ties it all together. Another key point of flour is its absorption ability (usually between 55% and 65%), which affects the consistency of your dough. That’s why it’s such a great baking ingredient—it holds together all that sugar, eggs, and milk, making for a nice, gooey mixture. Other than that, flour is also a binding and thickening agent, used for more than just baking. 

Is an all-rounder. You may have heard of the term “all-purpose flour.” This is flour with a mix of refined hard and soft wheat. This means that when you buy all-purpose flour, you can use it for almost any recipe out there. This makes it perfect for those starting out, or who want to try a variety of recipes! Most bakers would choose all-purpose flour to bake with, making it reliable choice for both beginner bakers and more seasoned ones.

Given all the quality standards and protocol that goes into selecting the wheat for flour, it’s important to choose a good brand for baking. Maya All-Purpose Flour has been a staple in Filipino homes for generations. With its high-quality gluten content and ideal absorption ability, it’s the easiest flour to go on your kitchen adventures with. Not only that, Maya All-Purpose Flour is also a good source of protein, plus, it’s fortified with vitamin A and iron, and enriched with vitamin B (riboflavin, niacin and thiamin), so you get more in every bite you bake. 

Just remember to store it well! Even though Maya’s All-Purpose Flour has a long and stable shelf life, it’s best to keep it in the freezer for 48 hours after you buy it. Then, transfer to an airtight container and store in a dry pantry away from direct sunlight. This way, your flour will last as long as a year, and you’ll be able to create more cool baked creations with it – for yourself, for the fam, and for the social feeds. 

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For more information on this, log on to www.themayakitchen.com or contact us@themayakitchen.com. You may also call us 8921185 or 892-5011 local 108 or +63929 679 6102.