Non-wheat cereals, non-wheat flours!
Rye
flour
Ground from cleaned grains, rye flour
inhibits gluten development and retains less moisture. There is a
large proportion of germ and bran in rye flour, which makes it rich
in iron, phosphorous, sulphur and vitamin B. This cereal is
cultivated in countries where it is too cold to grow wheat, which
explains its popularity in northern countries where consumption is
high. Coarsely ground dark rye flour is used to make pumpernickel
bread, lighter rye flour for making rye bread.
Rye can be light, medium or dark. It is sold either in flakes, in flour, or in grains that can be sprouted or cooked like breakfast cereal. Rye flour produces stickier, less elastic dough than wheat flour. It can be used alone or mixed with all-purpose flour. Breads made from rye flour alone are more compact and have a denser crumb.
Buckwheat flour
Also called “beechwheat, kasha or brank, buckwheat flour is dark, grey-brown flour, ground from the seeds of a plant native to Russia. It is not akin to the wheat plant and is gluten-free, which means it does not rise when cooked. It has a distinctively bitter, nutty flavour. Buckwheat is a whole cereal that has high starch content and is very rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous and vitamins B and E. It is also known for its lysine content, an amino-acid not usually found in cereals.
Buckwheat is an ancient oriental cereal that grows in very arid and cold soils. Because of its exceptional resistance, buckwheat is cultivated without pesticides. It is mixed with wheat flour to make bread or other leavened products. Buckwheat flour is mostly used to make pasta, Japanese noodles, polenta, flat cakes, cookies, Russian blini and pancakes of various kinds.
Oatmeal flour
Oatmeal flour contains no gluten so it
does not rise with cooking. It must be combined with wheat flour to
make breads or other leavened products. It is used mostly to make
cookies and flat cakes. Most products made from oatmeal flour are
heavy and compact.
Barley flour
Barley flour is low-gluten flour that is sometimes used as a flavour enhancer in making rye bread or sourdough bread.
Corn flour
Corn flour contains no gluten and has a
very pronounced, sweet corn flavour. Made from very finely ground
dried corn kernels, this flour is used to make pancakes, muffins,
cakes, and non-yeast quick breads. It must be combined with wheat
flour to make leavened products. Corn flour is an excellent source
of magnesium, potassium and phosphorous.
Cornmeal flour gives a crunchy, coarse texture to cookies, muffins, cakes and breads. It can be boiled to make polenta. It is used to make tamales, meat-stuffed turnovers, tortillas and chips.
Bran flour
Bran is the outer layer of cereal grains which is generally removed after grinding by sifting the flour; the remaining bran is then pulverized into flour. It is an excellent source of fibre and often used to make high-fibre breakfast cereals.
Soy flour
This very fine-textured flour contains no starch or gluten and is very high in protein, containing two to three times more than wheat flour and ten times more fat when untreated. It is used to slow the deterioration process of bread and gives it a slight taste of almonds. Soy flour is used to thicken sauces or to make cakes, muffins and cookies. Because it does not rise, it can never completely replace wheat flour in recipes.
Millet flour
Millet flour is low in gluten but very rich in protein, vitamins and minerals. It has a distinctively sweet flavour. Mixed with wheat flour, it is used to make nutritional breads.
Graham flour
Sylvester Graham was a nutritionist who discovered the essential role of bran in maintaining good health and developed this wholemeal flour in the early 19th Century. This bran flour is used to make Graham bread and Graham crackers. Graham flour is much like whole-wheat flour. It can be used alone or mixed with other flours.
Stone-ground six-grain flour
Made from durum wheat, rye, corn, barley, millet and brown rice, this flour adds flavour and nutritional value to crepes, pancakes, breads and muffins.
Triticale
Triticale is a cross between wheat and rye which makes it high in protein and lysine rich. The grain is eaten whole, cracked, sprouted, flaked or ground. The flour increases the fibre content and nutritional value of pasta, tortillas and crêpes.
Ground from cleaned grains, rye flour
inhibits gluten development and retains less moisture. There is a
large proportion of germ and bran in rye flour, which makes it rich
in iron, phosphorous, sulphur and vitamin B. This cereal is
cultivated in countries where it is too cold to grow wheat, which
explains its popularity in northern countries where consumption is
high. Coarsely ground dark rye flour is used to make pumpernickel
bread, lighter rye flour for making rye bread. Rye can be light, medium or dark. It is sold either in flakes, in flour, or in grains that can be sprouted or cooked like breakfast cereal. Rye flour produces stickier, less elastic dough than wheat flour. It can be used alone or mixed with all-purpose flour. Breads made from rye flour alone are more compact and have a denser crumb.
Buckwheat flour
Also called “beechwheat, kasha or brank, buckwheat flour is dark, grey-brown flour, ground from the seeds of a plant native to Russia. It is not akin to the wheat plant and is gluten-free, which means it does not rise when cooked. It has a distinctively bitter, nutty flavour. Buckwheat is a whole cereal that has high starch content and is very rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous and vitamins B and E. It is also known for its lysine content, an amino-acid not usually found in cereals.
Buckwheat is an ancient oriental cereal that grows in very arid and cold soils. Because of its exceptional resistance, buckwheat is cultivated without pesticides. It is mixed with wheat flour to make bread or other leavened products. Buckwheat flour is mostly used to make pasta, Japanese noodles, polenta, flat cakes, cookies, Russian blini and pancakes of various kinds.
Oatmeal flour
Oatmeal flour contains no gluten so it
does not rise with cooking. It must be combined with wheat flour to
make breads or other leavened products. It is used mostly to make
cookies and flat cakes. Most products made from oatmeal flour are
heavy and compact. Barley flour
Barley flour is low-gluten flour that is sometimes used as a flavour enhancer in making rye bread or sourdough bread.
Corn flour
Corn flour contains no gluten and has a
very pronounced, sweet corn flavour. Made from very finely ground
dried corn kernels, this flour is used to make pancakes, muffins,
cakes, and non-yeast quick breads. It must be combined with wheat
flour to make leavened products. Corn flour is an excellent source
of magnesium, potassium and phosphorous. Cornmeal flour gives a crunchy, coarse texture to cookies, muffins, cakes and breads. It can be boiled to make polenta. It is used to make tamales, meat-stuffed turnovers, tortillas and chips.
Bran flour
Bran is the outer layer of cereal grains which is generally removed after grinding by sifting the flour; the remaining bran is then pulverized into flour. It is an excellent source of fibre and often used to make high-fibre breakfast cereals.
Soy flour
This very fine-textured flour contains no starch or gluten and is very high in protein, containing two to three times more than wheat flour and ten times more fat when untreated. It is used to slow the deterioration process of bread and gives it a slight taste of almonds. Soy flour is used to thicken sauces or to make cakes, muffins and cookies. Because it does not rise, it can never completely replace wheat flour in recipes.
Millet flour
Millet flour is low in gluten but very rich in protein, vitamins and minerals. It has a distinctively sweet flavour. Mixed with wheat flour, it is used to make nutritional breads.
Graham flour
Sylvester Graham was a nutritionist who discovered the essential role of bran in maintaining good health and developed this wholemeal flour in the early 19th Century. This bran flour is used to make Graham bread and Graham crackers. Graham flour is much like whole-wheat flour. It can be used alone or mixed with other flours.
Stone-ground six-grain flour
Made from durum wheat, rye, corn, barley, millet and brown rice, this flour adds flavour and nutritional value to crepes, pancakes, breads and muffins.
Triticale
Triticale is a cross between wheat and rye which makes it high in protein and lysine rich. The grain is eaten whole, cracked, sprouted, flaked or ground. The flour increases the fibre content and nutritional value of pasta, tortillas and crêpes.