Getting Started with Fresh Milled Flour: A Guide to Different Types of Grains
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When you begin milling your own flour at home, you unlock a world of flavor, nutrition, and customization in your baking. Fresh milled flour, made from whole grains, retains all the nutrients found in the bran, germ, and endosperm, making it a far superior option compared to refined flours. Each grain brings its own unique qualities—flavor, texture, and baking performance—to the table. Whether you’re making rustic breads, delicate pastries, or hearty muffins, knowing the different types of grains and their uses will help you make the best choice for your baking needs.
In this guide, we’ll explore the most common types of wheat and other grains, including barley, their nutritional profiles, and the best ways to use them in your kitchen.
1. Hard Red Winter Wheat
- Description: Hard red winter wheat is a high-protein, red-kerneled wheat that is grown in colder climates. It has a slightly stronger, more robust flavor and is perfect for hearty, rustic loaves.
- Protein Content: 12-15%
- Common Uses: Bread, rolls, pizza dough, whole grain loaves, and some artisan breads.
- Texture: Dense, chewy crumb with a hearty, full flavor.
Best For: If you’re making traditional country-style bread, rolls, or pizza crust, hard red winter wheat is your go-to choice. It creates a chewy, flavorful bread with excellent structure.
2. Hard Red Spring Wheat
- Description: Hard red spring wheat has a higher protein content than winter wheat, which makes it ideal for yeasted breads. It’s known for producing breads with excellent rise and texture.
- Protein Content: 13-16%
- Common Uses: Artisan bread, baguettes, pizza crust, and other yeasted bread products.
- Texture: Firm, chewy crumb with excellent rise and structure.
Best For: Use this wheat for bakery-quality breads, particularly artisan loaves and baguettes that need a light, airy texture.
3. Soft Red Winter Wheat
- Description: Soft red winter wheat is a lower-protein wheat that’s often used for more delicate, tender baked goods. It has a finer, softer texture compared to hard wheats.
- Protein Content: 8-10%
- Common Uses: Pastries, cakes, cookies, muffins, and quick breads.
- Texture: Light, tender crumb with a delicate texture.
Best For: When making cakes, muffins, and pastries that need a light, soft texture, soft red winter wheat is ideal.
4. Soft White Wheat
- Description: Soft white wheat is similar to soft red winter wheat but with a lighter color and milder flavor. It’s great for baking tender, flaky products.
- Protein Content: 8-11%
- Common Uses: Pastries, cakes, cookies, crackers, flatbreads, and pancakes.
- Texture: Soft, light crumb that yields tender baked goods.
Best For: Perfect for cookies, cakes, and crackers where a tender, flaky texture is desired.
5. Durum Wheat
- Description: Durum wheat has the hardest kernel of all wheat varieties and is primarily used to make semolina flour. It's the go-to grain for pasta making due to its firmness and ability to hold its shape.
- Protein Content: 12-14%
- Common Uses: Pasta, couscous, Mediterranean breads (like focaccia), and some flatbreads.
- Texture: Firm, dense dough that holds its shape well when cooked.
Best For: Durum is essential for homemade pasta, couscous, and Mediterranean-style breads, making it perfect for any recipe where you want a firm, toothsome texture.
6. Spelt (Ancient Wheat)
- Description: Spelt is an ancient grain closely related to wheat. It has a nutty flavor and slightly higher nutritional content than modern wheat varieties, with more fiber and protein.
- Protein Content: 12-15%
- Common Uses: Breads, crackers, cookies, pancakes, and other baked goods.
- Texture: Nutty flavor with a chewy texture and slightly denser crumb.
Best For: Spelt is a great choice for whole grain breads, cookies, and crackers, especially if you want a grain with a richer, nuttier flavor.
7. Einkorn (Ancient Wheat)
- Description: Einkorn is one of the oldest cultivated grains, known for its rich, slightly sweet flavor and higher nutritional content. It is often considered easier to digest than modern wheat.
- Protein Content: 12-14%
- Common Uses: Breads, cakes, pancakes, cookies, and other baked goods.
- Texture: Tender, moist crumb with a slightly nutty flavor.
Best For: If you're looking for a more nutritious option for bread, cakes, or pancakes, Einkorn will give your baked goods a rich, full flavor and a soft texture.
8. Khorasan Wheat (Kamut)
- Description: Khorasan wheat, often marketed as Kamut, is a larger, more robust wheat grain. It has a rich, nutty flavor and is higher in protein and minerals than modern wheat varieties.
- Protein Content: 12-18%
- Common Uses: Breads, cereals, pasta, and even as a whole grain in soups or salads.
- Texture: Dense, chewy when eaten whole. Flour results in a coarser texture.
Best For: Use Khorasan wheat for hearty breads, whole grain salads, or pasta dishes. The nutty flavor makes it a great addition to rustic-style loaves.
9. Rye
- Description: Rye is a hearty grain related to wheat but with a distinct flavor and denser texture. Rye bread is popular for its rich, tangy taste, and it's often used in combination with wheat flour to enhance texture.
- Protein Content: 7-15%
- Common Uses: Rye bread, pumpernickel, sourdough, crackers, and cakes.
- Texture: Denser and heavier than wheat products, with a more compact crumb.
Best For: Rye flour is perfect for making rye bread, pumpernickel, and sourdough. It imparts a distinct, earthy flavor and makes for a heavier, denser bread.
10. Barley
- Description: Barley is an ancient grain that’s commonly used in soups, stews, and as a whole grain side dish. When milled into flour, it produces a soft, slightly sweet flour that’s often combined with other flours for bread baking.
- Protein Content: 7-13%
- Common Uses: Barley flour can be used in breads, muffins, pancakes, and cookies. It’s also great for thickening soups and making grain bowls.
- Texture: Soft and smooth flour with a slightly sweet, malty flavor.
Best For: Barley flour is often used in combination with other flours to add sweetness and improve the texture of baked goods like bread and cookies. It can also be used in gluten-free baking for a mild, smooth texture.
Choosing the Right Grain for Your Baking Needs
When milling your own flour, the choice of grain will have a profound impact on the outcome of your recipe. Each type of wheat and grain has its own unique characteristics, making it essential to choose the right one for the specific texture and flavor you’re looking for. See Choosing the Right Grain for Your Baking Needs for a detailed list of the best grain for different types of baked goods.
- For Hearty Breads: Hard red winter or spring wheat and rye are ideal for dense, flavorful loaves.
- For Delicate Pastries: Soft white wheat or soft red winter wheat will give you light, tender baked goods.
- For Pasta and Mediterranean Dishes: Durum wheat is your best bet for creating semolina and pasta doughs with excellent structure.
- For Nutty, Whole Grain Flavor: Ancient grains like spelt, einkorn, and Khorasan wheat will add depth of flavor and nutritional value to your baking.
By understanding the distinct characteristics of these grains, you can elevate your baking to a whole new level of flavor and nutrition. Happy milling and baking!
