flour

[micky.p.]

Hello all,

Can someone tell me what the types of flours are used for what ? please.

I have been looking on the internet, but no joy to even find out what the farine ble is used for?

thankyou

[JayJay]

Hello Micky, check this as I think it may explain it all to you http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/851090/ShowPost.aspx

[Teamedup]

I don't like the silver bags of farine fluide, I find that it can go glutinous in sauces and it is ...........beurk. Which is strange as I don't make lumpy sauces, this flour always does though.

I use the cheapest stuff I can find type 55 and no make. For sr flour, I prefer leader price's own, the bags have some blue one them and are clearly marked. And if I am making whole meal type bread use one of carrefours semi complete bio.

I successfully cook and bake using these flours.

[captin cook]

hi french flour

on the side of every french flour bag there is a type no , this no varis according to the percentage of the whole grain used to manufacture of each particular flour . type 45 is the standard white flour used to make cakes it is excellent for cakes . type 55 is slightly less refinded but still gives a white flour result  it is good for fruit  or cherry cakes .. can be used for making pastry . type 65 80 100 are all stronger bread flours that show some colour in bread making .as the type number increases so does the darkness of the bake .also the high the number the greater proportion of the whole grain .type 150 is a whole grain flour which gives the darkes colour . the words "arec proudre lenvante incorpo#ree means literally that a rising agent has been added to the flour . "fluide means that the flouris light and free flowing . la carantie anti #grumeaux means the manufacturing company guarentee you should not find any lumps .if you use type 45 or 55 farine de bie you should be ready to follow in the foot step of the locals and make you first classice french cake . happy baking !

[Pierre ZFP]

Thank you for that CC.  I shall print it off and keep it with my cook books.

So, cornflour would be 'farine de maïs' ?

[Teamedup]

Cornflour is Maizena. 

Personally I wouldn't use T55 for a cherry cake, I would use SR flour. I might use T55 is a christmas cake, othewise I would always use SR flour in all my other fruit cakes.

 

How long does flour keep, I never have a cupboard full of assorted flours, I just have the three I use, so I am rather curious about this.

 

CC what is a classic french cake? Everyone round here does yoghurt cake and some more adventurous folk make a gateau savoyard, with it's potatoe starch. And the odd person will do a moelleux aux chocolat, which varies from a being delicious to practically inedible.

[Patf]

re keeping flour and other foods for any length of time - in our last house which was fairly modern and was built of breeze blocks covered  in lambris inside I had to keep all foods in cupboards in plastic containers or they quickly became infested with ants, mites spiders etc.Also mice. Our current house is built of clay blocks, very thick walls. Up to now I've not seen  any bugs, even spiders are rare. Maybe a few flies. So things still in packets. The other problem is damp which can quickly produce mould especially when the weather gets warm. Back to the subject - I made a fruit cake recently with farine fluide plus levure for cakes and it was not good - bubbled up and flat on top. So won't do that again. On the other hand the farine fluide worked well in Claire's chocolate cake - no raising agent. Pat.

[captin cook]

hi

have just returned from france this week reguarding type 45 /55 , i have succesfully used type 45 to make a coffee and walnut cake i made this on the same principal as i would make a sponge cake here in england .i think the key to success is to have the nerve to expertiment .plus as well how a cake turns out  can depend on on the type of cooker you have .