Flour in the Czech kitchen: A guide to the different types
Wholemeal vs. white
More and more often in our kitchens, we see not only white, but also wholemeal flour. The fundamental difference lies in the production itself. While wholemeal flour is made by grinding the whole grain, white flour is made by grinding only the inner, floury part. Wholemeal flour therefore has a higher protein, fibre and vitamin content and a lower glycaemic index. It is not surprising that nutritionists generally recommend it.
Wheat
We probably all have wheat flour in our pantry. While plain wheat flour is ideal for baking cakes, kolache or Christmas cookies, reach for the semi-coarse version when baking gingerbread or poppy seed cake. Coarse wheat flour will come in handy when you start to homemade dumplings, gnocchi, ordoughnuts.
Barley
You can also play around in the kitchen with barley flour. As barley is a very hardy agricultural crop, it is mainly grown in the northern hemisphere, including here in the Czech Republic. If you decide to work with this flour, you should use it in combination (approx. 20 %) with regular flour – this ensures lightness and freshness. It is perfect for toppings, sauces, and dumplings, but also puddings and creams.
Czechs and flour
"The Czech flour spectrum is very specific due to our bread culture. Coarse or semi-coarse flour is not commonly encountered abroad," recalls Martin Hutař Jr., who works at the Češka mill in Jarcová.
Rye
Another very resistant agricultural crop is rye – and rye flour has been making a big comeback in recent years. In the case of the wholemeal variant, the whole grain is (logically) milled, so this flour has a high fibre and nutrient content. Wholemeal rye flour makes delicious pancakes or sweet rolls, for example. You can also add it successfully to bread leaven.
The Probio company, with which the bakers from Eska in Karlin work, also offers rye flour for baking which is suitable for gingerbread, muffins, buns, and pastries. This white rye flour is fine and smells and tastes good.
Tip from Probio
How to get started with wholemeal flours? Try replacing 1/3 of the white flour in your favourite recipe with wholemeal flour and then gradually increase the proportion. Wholemeal flours will enrich your food with important nutrients, fibre and keep you full for longer.
Spelt
In recent years, spelt flour has also been clamouring for attention. Why choose it over wheat flour? That's simple: spelt contains more protein, minerals and B vitamins and its fibre is more digestible. You can use plain spelt flour for making cakes without issue, Christmas cookies or as a thickening aid for soups and sauces. And you can also bake homemade bread!
Oat
Oats are a nutritionally valuable cereal with high in protein, fibre and healthy fat. You will appreciate oat flour when baking (for example, cookies or casseroles), as it naturally absorbs excess liquid and makes the baked goods crispier and more tender.
Why Eska prefers organic flour
Flour can also be simply divided into organic and non-organic. The bakers at Eska in Karlin rely on the first option. "We use biomass flour because it does not contain pesticides or residues of chemical and mineral fertilisers. This is a great benefit for the bread and therefore for the customers. Grain that is not artificially fertilised is stronger and absorbs a lot of nutrients, minerals and energy from healthy soil," points out Jarda Kozdělka, head baker at Eska.
Gluten-free cereal flours
A separate chapter is gluten-free flours, which – as the name suggests – are the only choice for people with coeliac disease. This category includes flours made from buckwheat, sorghum, maize, rice, tapioca or barley. Gluten-free cereal flours can be used in the preparation of porridges and in sweet and savoury baking.
Buckwheat flour can also be used to make dumplings and pasta, while corn flour is suitable for pancakes and tortillas. However, note in advance that these flours are harder to work with due to the absence of gluten and the dough often does not stick together. Unless you are allergic to gluten, you can combine gluten-free flour with normal flour.
Legume flours
And last but not least, we must also mention legume flours, which are made by first removing the oil from the grain, then drying it and then grinding it into flour. The great advantage of these flours is their good binding properties, so you can bake with them with confidence. On these shelves you will most often find chickpea, bean, pea, lentil or soya flour.
Source: superkvasaci.cz, quote by Martin Hutař Jr.
