Domestic science, principles and application

Flour is made from wheat, which undergoes many processes before it comes to us as flour. Kinds of Flour. — (1) Graham flour, (2) whole-wheat flour, (3) bread flour, (4) pastry flour. Turn to Lesson 6, on wheat. Notice the structure of wheat, also note the difference between spring and winter wheats. Graham flour is made by grinding the entire grain of spring wheat, including the outer bran coverings. Whole-wheat flour is made by grinding the whole grains of spring wheat, with the exception of the two outer and coarser bran coats. Bread flour is made by grinding the remainder of the grain of spring wheat after the bran coats and much of the germ are removed. Pastry flour is made from the starchy part of the grain of winter wheat. The outer bran coats and the germ are not used. Manufacture of Flour. — Wheat is taken into the mill and carefully washed to remove all dust. It is soaked to soften it some, then passed between either millstones or rollers, which grind the grain. There are two chief methods of breaking or grinding the grain, but that used in the best mills for high-grade flour is called roller milling. The wheat may pass through as many as eight different sets of rollers, each crushing or grinding finer than the preceding. After each grinding, the fine flour is sifted, or bolted, through silk cloth of different degrees of fineness. Many by-products, (123) as, bran, middlings, shorts, etc., areproduced. Graham and whole-wheat flour are usually ground between millstones, in one operation. The flour is finally packed into barrels and sacks, ready for the market. A barrel of flour weighs 196 pounds, and sacks containing 10, 20, 50, and 100 pounds are filled. Grades of Flour. — There are many grades of flour made in every mill. The grade depends upon the quality of the wheat and upon the sorting in the milling process. Inferior flour is sometimes sold as best flour, and we pay the price of the best. We must be able to detect poor flour and to demand a grade of flour w^orth the price we pay. Composition of a bread flour is as follows: — Protein Carbohydrates Fat Mineral matter Water 11.3% 74.6% 1-1% -5% 12.5% How to Tell Good Flour.— 1. In color it is white with a yellowish tinge. 2. It has a gritty feeling, not being too smooth and powdery. 3. It absorbs water readily. 4. It falls loosely apart after being squeezed in the hand, indicating that it does not contain too much moisture. 5. Good bread flour makes an elastic dough. Experiments to determine the presence of starch and gluten: — 1. Test flour with iodine for starch. 2. Make a cup of flour into a stift' dough with a little cold water. Knead in a strainer set in a bowl of water for a few minutes. What washes away? What is the nature of the substance that is left? 3. Compare bread flour and pastry flour. QUICK BREADS— SOFT DOUGH Demonstrate Baking Powder Biscuit: — (a) Methcd of cutting in shortening, (b) Method of handling doug^h en a board. 1. Baking Powder Biscuit 2 c. flour 4 tsp. baking powder 2 tbsp. shortening 1 tsp. salt ^4 c. milk Method. — Mix and sift the fiour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the shortening, using two knives, or rub in with the Fig. 13. Baking powder bi?cuits.