Any baker, or the budding baker, will know the importance of using different flours for different things. One of the many flours out there includes pastry flour.
So, what are the pastry flour baking uses? Well, since pastry flour is a soft flour that is low in gluten, it tends to be designed for making muffins, cakes, pies, cookies, biscuits, and pastry dough.
Its gluten content is so low, that it is only about 8-10% gluten.
Today we will talk you through the different uses for this type of flour, and where you can buy it in different countries!
Uses Of Pastry Flour
There are many uses for pastry flour, it mainly depends on what type of pastry flour you have, as there are variations.
One prominent question that new bakers will ask when faced with pastry flour is ‘Is pastry flour better for cookies’, the answer is yes. It creates perfect cookies that are chewy and glorious.
Like those cookies, you get from a bakery freshly baked that are gooey and chewy, not crunchy or hard when they are premade. This is the ideal flour for baking cookies.
However, it is also the ideal flour for making pie crusts, biscuits, cinnamon rolls, pancakes, and more. The best leavening agent to use with pastry flour is baking powder or baking soda, so when a recipe calls for baking soda/ powder, the best flour to pair it with is pastry flour.
Best Uses For Creamy Pastry Flour
So, what is the best use you can get out of creamy pastry flour? Well, first off, it is worth noting that it is best for desserts, it is also known as pastry cream, among other names.
You could use it for cream tarts, cookie cups, or just as its own thing… Yes, there is a dessert known as Crème Pâtisserie. Which uses pastry cream, egg yolks sugar, and a flavoring agent. These can be delicious delicacies that will make your mouth water and your stomach grin.
These recipes are not hard to make, however, you do need to have a good way to mix, and a feel for the right consistency and presentation. If you want to try baking with pastry cream, it is worth getting plenty of practice in order to perfect a dessert dish like this.
However, if you want to bake something with pastry cream, but you’re thinking of something a little more… doughy, you can make bagels, cakes, and waffles all with this delicious form of pastry flour.
Whole Wheat Pastry Flour Uses
What about whole wheat pastry? Well, whole wheat will always be denser, in any flour, so if you think of dishes you would usually make with pastry flour, then dishes you would usually make with whole wheat flour, you will get an idea of what is suitable with this flour.
Here are some ideas for you;
- Swedish Rye Cookies.
- Cheese Crackers.
- Berry Muffins.
- Ginger Cookies.
- Chocolate Tarts.
- Scones.
As you can see, most of the things on this list are quite dense, as you might expect of a whole wheat flour… Even if it is pastry flour.
Which Is The Best Pastry Flour?
Which pastry flour is the best totally depends on what you want to cook. If you want to make something dense we recommend whole wheat pastry flour, but if you want a moistness to your dessert, creamy pastry flour is better.
It all depends on what you want to make and the type of dish you are aiming for. We can’t give you the answer to this, this is up to you. If you have no idea, do some experimenting, isn’t that what baking is all about?
Substituting
As is with all cooking, sometimes you will need to substitute the materials you cook with. Not every ingredient is available everywhere, and sometimes all you can do is substitute. So, what are the potential substitutions for pastry flour?
Can I Use Pastry Flour Instead Of All-Purpose Flour?
Well, here’s the deal, if you have run out of all-purpose flour, and you are baking, then yes you can use pastry flour. However, remember, pastry flour is softer than all-purpose flour.
Why is this important? Well, if you are using a softer flour, then you need to ensure that your recipe won’t suffer from it. This type of flour won’t be ideal for a hardy bake, but it will work well in cake, muffins, and a quick bread… although it depends on your bread goals really.
Another question many new bakers may ask is ‘can I use pastry flour instead of all-purpose flour for cakes?’ The answer to this is a resounding yes, in fact, it may be even better!
What Flour Is the Same As Pastry Flour?
If you need a good substitute for pastry flour, however, our strongest recommendation is a mix of cake flour and all-purpose flour. You should combine around half a cup of all-purpose flour with a half cup of cake flour, for every cup you would use pastry flour in your recipe.
This is the most reliable substitute for pastry flour you can get and will bring you to the closest consistency you can achieve with normal pastry flour.
Is Pastry Flour The Same As Cake Flour?
You may think that pastry flour and cake flour are the same since cakes and muffins are on the list of what items you can make with cake flour. However, these two flours are not the same. Cake flour has a protein count of 7-8%, which is much less than pastry flour.
Cake flour is also beached to weaken the proteins too. So they are nutritionally different.
What Can I Use If I Don’t Have Pastry Flour?
The best substitute for pastry flour is a mix of two equal parts cake flour and all-purpose flour. However, if you also do not have cake flour, you can substitute this as well with all-purpose flour if you use 2 tbsp per cup with cornstarch.
That being said, even though these substitutes are brilliant and will bring you fairly close to what you seek, it is better to try and always have some pastry flour around… just in case!
Where To Buy Pastry Flour:
So, where can you buy pastry flour in your country? Well, it depends, not everywhere actually has pastry flour, which is sad news for some, however, we are an interconnected world now, so if you are desperate for some, you can always see if you can import it!
Where To Buy Pastry Flour US
In the US, you can buy pastry flour off of Amazon, this includes normal pastry flour and whole wheat! Shipton-mill.com also sells it, as does King Arthur Baking.
However, the best news for Americans, is you can also get it from Walmart!
Where To Buy Pastry Flour UK
If you live in the UK, it is super easy to get your hands on some pastry flour, Sainsbury’s and Asda sells it, but again, you can also buy it off on Amazon.com
Where To Buy Pastry Flour AUS
In Australia things are harder though, it is called ‘soft flour’. However, you can still get it at Cole’s, Woolworths, and IGA. So, you will still be able to bake away!
Additionally, she spent a few years working for Smoothie King, where she gained extensive knowledge about making smoothies.
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