Making pastry, can all-purpose flour substitute for cake flour?

[mrk]

If pastry recipe same of Ingredients, just all purpose flour transfer cake flour or pastry flour, the result will how different?

 

for instance to make a tart:

                                           120g butter,

                                           80g confections' sugar,

                                           1 vailla bean,

                                           25g ground almonds,

                                           1 pinch salt,

                                           1 egg,

                                           200g all-purpose flour

 

if I use 200g cake flour instead all-purpose flour, can I do this? how to calculate all purpose flour transfer cake flour or pastry flour of amount?

 

Thanks

Edited October 27, 2014 by mrk (log)

[Lisa Shock]

The best answer I can give you is maybe. AP flour varies in gluten content by manufacturer and region of the US. In the SE, it is closest to cake flour because most of it gets used for making biscuits. In the NE, it's almost as high in gluten as bread flour, since a lot of it gets made into bread. In the middle of the country and West, it varies. Check to see if the label gives you a protein content, and that will tell you how to proceed in mixing flours. 5-7% is cake flour, 8-10% is pastry flour, bread flour is 14-16%, and bagel flour is 18%.

[ChefPip]

I'll offer this bit of information.   I don't know where you are which may determine your access to supply. So this is simply info.

 

 

Bleached vs Unbleached Flour

 

http://www.diffen.com/difference/Bleached_Flour_vs_Unbleached_Flour

[JohnT]

mrk, I have no idea where you are in the world but in South Africa we have no such thing as "all purpose" flour. All we get in the white range is cake flour or bread flour either bleached or stone ground. Wherever a recipe calls for AP flour, I just use cake flour on a 1 to 1 basis and never have a problem.

Do us all a favour and add your location to your profile - it is nice to know where people are when reading their posts and helps when a recipe is posted so that we can convert it. John.

[Norm Matthews]

High protein flour gives a better rise when used in a yeast recipe.  Low protein flour gives cakes a more tender texture.  How you mix the ingredients and in what order makes a difference too.

[andiesenji]

The best answer I can give you is maybe. AP flour varies in gluten content by manufacturer and region of the US. In the SE, it is closest to cake flour because most of it gets used for making biscuits. In the NE, it's almost as high in gluten as bread flour, since a lot of it gets made into bread. In the middle of the country and West, it varies. Check to see if the label gives you a protein content, and that will tell you how to proceed in mixing flours. 5-7% is cake flour, 8-10% is pastry flour, bread flour is 14-16%, and bagel flour is 18%.

I think you mean the "soft" wheat flours (White Lily) that is used for biscuits, pastry, quick breads and is most easily found in the the SE U.S.

As opposed to hard winter wheat which has higher gluten and protein and is better for yeast breads, etc.

All-purpose flour is a "compromise" between soft wheat and hard wheat and can be used for anything but is not truly optimall for artisan breads or for fine pastries but it will do.

 

To "make" cake flour using all-purpose, simply measure out your flour - for EACH cup of flour remove 2 Tablespoons  and in its place ADD 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch (corn flour in the UK, Australia, etc.)  mix and SIFT FOUR TIMES.  This thoroughly blends and aerates the flour.

 

Now you have cake flour...

[Norm Matthews]

You can also soften flour by adding an instant flour such as Wondra to AP flour in a ratio of about 1 part Wondra to about 4 parts AP flour.

Edited October 27, 2014 by Norm Matthews (log)

[andiesenji]

Wondra is not available everywhere.  Not in Australia for sure - I'm active on ForumThermomix that has mostly Aussie members and while corn flour is easily found, there is no Wondra down under...

[Lisa Shock]

I was taught in a Bread Baker's Guild class that one of the big nationwide manufacturers told the instructor that their AP flour blends vary by region. A bag of Xxxx Xxxxx is different in Vermont as opposed to Georgia.

[andiesenji]

I was taught in a Bread Baker's Guild class that one of the big nationwide manufacturers told the instructor that their AP flour blends vary by region. A bag of Xxxx Xxxxx is different in Vermont as opposed to Georgia.

That's true.  I thought you were referring to the soft wheat flour in your earlier post.  Sorry I misunderstood.

 

There are indeed regional variations in flour types. 

Fortunately, now we can order online and buy flour from other locales to suit our baking preferences.

 

After growing up in Kentucky and then going to live with my mom in Wisconsin, it was quite a shock when my biscuits did not turn out as expected.  I was mortified until I learned that I could "borrow" some of the pastry flour from mom's bakery and use that successfully. 

[mrk]

Thanks all of you. follow below of rule, I thought if some recipes use all-purpose flour can be change to be cake or pastry flour to make more tender texture pastry without change another ingredients amount?

 

All-purpose flour is a "compromise" between soft wheat and hard wheat and can be used for anything but is not truly optimall for artisan breads or for fine pastries but it will do.    High protein flour gives a better rise when used in a yeast recipe.  Low protein flour gives cakes a more tender texture.