Thursday, September 9, 2010

What's the Difference Between Regular Whole Wheat Flour and White Whole Wheat Flour?

white whole wheat flour

Has this happened to you? You're in the baking aisle of the supermarket looking for whole wheat flour. You locate it and grab one. As you're putting it in your carriage, you notice a another bag of flour marked "white whole wheat flour." You pause and think, "What’s the Difference Between Regular Whole Wheat Flour and White Whole Wheat Flour?"

Since you can't go grocery shopping with Dorie Greenspan, here's what you need to know about the differences between regular whole wheat flour and white whole wheat flour:

Regular whole wheat flour is milled from hard red spring wheat which results in a flavorful, tan colored, high-fiber flour. It creates heavy, denser, nuttier flavored baked goods.

White whole wheat flour is milled from white whole wheat, not red, which makes it lighter in color and less bitter in flavor. Yet it’s got the same nutritional value of regular whole wheat flour, which is great! It creates lighter, sweeter baked goods.

Are regular whole wheat flour and white whole wheat flour interchangeable in recipes? Yes.

Are white whole wheat flour and all-purpose bleached white flour interchangeable in recipes? No. Because of the difference in gluten, the texture will be affected. Start by replacing 1/3-1/2 of the all-purpose flour with the white whole wheat flour, then work your way up from there to make sure you like the texture, color, and flavor.

White whole wheat flour is ideal for people who want the sweeter flavor of all-purpose bleached white flour with the nutritional punch of regular whole wheat flour. Use it in muffins, breads, scones, waffles, pizza and more. You'll be glad you did.

More on white whole wheat flour from:
Dani Spies
The Kitchn
Bon Appetit
Kalyn's Kitchen
The Perfect Pantry

Here are whole wheat flour recipes you might enjoy:
Whole Wheat Pie Dough recipe from Andrea's Recipes
White Whole Wheat Biscuits recipe from Baking Bites
Whole Wheat Vanilla Pancakes recipe from Cooking With Amy
Whole Wheat Orange Spice Muffin recipe from Pinch My Salt
Healthy Cherry, Banana, and Oatmeal Breakfast Bread recipe from Food Blogga
Savory Butternut Squash Muffins with Apples, Caramelized Onions, and Cheddar Cheese recipe from Food Blogga