DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BAKING FLOURS (SOFT VS SHARP)

Flour is not distinguished only by the cereals from which it is made, but by type, color and structure. One of the important thing is the difference between sharp and soft flour.




Division of flour
Flour is obtained by grinding grain cereals, and when it comes to sharp and soft flour, we mean wheat white flour. It is obtained by the process of successive grinding of the grain, and with a greater number of repetitions of the process, more and more shell layers are removed, thus increasing the share of the core itself and the flour becomes more finer and lighter. Fineness of the flour is designated as the amount of ash from the shell. So, soft flour has a lower proportion of ash, while sharp flour has a higher proportion. This percentage is designated as amount of the ash per 100 g of flour and these are the numbers that we find on the declaration for the type of flour. So we distinguish types T 400, T500 and so on.
In the daily use and production of bread and other bakery products, the softest T400 wheat flour and sharp wheat flour T550 are commonly used. We can also say that the number that stands with the type of flour refers to the whiteness of the flour itself. The higher the number, the flour is darker. The darker it is, it is considered to be more quality and healthier.


Differences between sharp and soft flour
Both types of flour are obtained by finely grinding the core of the wheat, so they are not rich in nutrients like flour from whole wheat grains, or integral flour species. The difference is in the size of the particles of flour, whereby the sharp flour is obtained by separating from soft white flour.
Smooth flour is finely ground flour, grains are about 0.1 mm, soft and white. Thanks to this structure, pastries that are made from it, get a smooth texture.
Sharp flour is a somewhat coarser structure, because it is not so thoroughly grounded, that is, it is separated from soft flour. The grains are thick from 0.15 to 0.3 mm. That's why it's harder to stick in the dough, but it's better for dissolving in liquid and it's better for liquid dough.
Use of sharp and soft flour
Both sharp and soft wheat flour are excellent for baking and preparing different kinds of dough, ranging from bread, pasta, white pastry and various cakes. However, in order for the end product to be good, we need to know which flour is the best.

Soft flour for bread and pastry
Soft or smooth wheat flour is mainly used for baking white bread and dairy baked goods, cookies made of dough that rises, as well as for making homemade pasta and noodles. It is also suitable for stretched dough, that is, the preparation of pies, maznik, strudel and rolls. It's also better for layered dough. Its soft structure allows you to obtain a smooth and finely bonded dough from which various types of pastry can be kneaded well, prepare homemade pasta or noodles.

Sharp flour for biscuits and cookies

Sharp wheat flour does not behave in the same way and is much better choice for preparing various cookies, biscuits, hard cookies and similar products. It does not tie smoothly, but it behaves better in combination with liquid and it's great for a thinner dough. It is used for the preparation of biscuit dough, cakes and treats that require the addition of baking powders. It is also better for thickening sauces and soups.
Pancakes require a special topic for the debate on the use of flour type. While some are very successfully preparing them with sharp flour, others use smooth flour for years. There is no certain recipe how to make them and the choice of flour is completely individual and subordinate to personal culinary skills and desires.

The combination of soft and sharp flour is a good choice for most types of dough and is mostly used in the ratio half-half.