Best Flour for Homemade Graham Crackers

[natem42]

I have a recipe calling for about 2 parts AP flour, and 1 part whole wheat pastry flour (it's graham crackers). I have AP flour, regular whole wheat flour (couldn't find pastry), and also Swan's Down cake flour. Should I just use whole wheat instead of whole wheat pastry, or should I work in some quantity of cake flour to cut the protein content overall?

 

[Norcalbaker59]

I have a recipe calling for about 2 parts AP flour, and 1 part whole wheat pastry flour (it's graham crackers). I have AP flour, regular whole wheat flour (couldn't find pastry), and also Swan's Down cake flour. Should I just use whole wheat instead of whole wheat pastry, or should I work in some quantity of cake flour to cut the protein content overall?

The difference between whole wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour is the type of wheat that is used to mill the flour. For pastry flour a soft winter wheat is used, which is naturally lower in protein than a hard winter wheat. All whole wheat is unbleached. The entire wheat kernel is used in the flour.

If you use regular whole wheat flour, I will not get the same results because it is which is much higher in protein and ash content. This flour will develop more gluten and absorb more liquid than a lower protein pastry whole wheat flour.

Downs cake flour Is a bleached cake flour. Only the endosperm of the kernel is used. This flour is not a substitute for whole wheat flour. Adding it to the recipe is not going to change any of the characteristics of the regular whole wheat flour.



Bob’s Red Mill produces whole wheat pastry flour.