Can I use wholemeal flour in cakes and biscuits

Binxy

Would some kind soul please answer this - can I simply replace any "plain flour" in my recipes with "wholemeal plain flour" or will it affect things?

Many thanks in advance.

Debt_Free_Chick

*** edit *** Sorry, I wrote this reply before I realised it was part of the "bread" thread. I've left the reply there in case it's helpful for non-bread questions i.e. can you just replace plain/white flour with wholemeal. Silly me, though :rotfl:

---

Well, it will affect the taste & texture Taste will be "nutty" and texture will be "thicker" or "grainy". And if you are watching your fibre intake, then it will be a bonus

If you're making a sauce (roux) for example, or anything else that doesn't rise then yes ... just replace white flour with wholemeal. If it's a recipe that "rises" e.g. bread, scones, cakes etc you may need a little more raising agent e.g. yeast as wholemeal flour tends to produce a heavy result.

What are you making?

squeaky

Hi, Binxy

We have several threads on using various flours in our Complete Breadmaking Collection and, as you can see, I have added your query onto the most similar one.

Posts are listed in date order so you will have to read from the beginning to catch up with us

Binxy

Debt_Free_Chick - thank you. I'm not making bread or ever intend to.

I should have been more specific and said I mean in cakes, biscuits and pastry.

My son has bowel problems and we've been advised to up the fibre intake (like we hadn't though of that already :rolleyes: ) But I want to go the whole hog and replace it if I can when I make things he actually eats, ie biscuits.

squeaky

Right - I've split these posts back off the breadmaking thread and edited the thread title to help make things a bit clearer.

HTH

comping_cat

Ive used wholemeal before, and its fine. I dont think the children noticed the difference as they had icing on!!!!

MimiJane

Wholemeal/wholewheat flour is all I ever use (also not full of sugar like white flour!). If you're replacing it with white self-raising though, add a teaspoon or two of baking powder in cakes to help them rise.

Swan_2

MimiJane wrote:

Wholemeal/wholewheat flour is all I ever use (also not full of sugar like white flour!)

I'm shocked! I had no idea white flour contained sugar. I've never noticed it listed on the packet ingredients, maybe I need to pay more attention

does all white flour have it? or is it only certain kinds/brands? is it a 'hidden' igredient?

I don't object to sugar, but I like to know what's in my food!

1sttimer_2

Swan wrote:

I'm shocked! I had no idea white flour contained sugar. I've never noticed it listed on the packet ingredients, maybe I need to pay more attention

does all white flour have it? or is it only certain kinds/brands? is it a 'hidden' igredient?

I don't object to sugar, but I like to know what's in my food!

Me too :eek:

BTW I find that if you use half/half wholewheat/white for a while then gradually build it up to all wholewheat then your body can get used to the taste etc.

MimiJane

My partner's been put on a sugar-free/sugar substitute free diet at the moment for medical reasons and has been told to keep away from white flour as it's a refined carbohydrate, heavily processed and therefore contains way too much sugar. To be honest, we've always enjoyed wholewheat/wholemeal stuff far more anyway.

My partners diet has prompted me to do a lot of research. Just for the record, artificial sugars (e.g. Aspartame) are even worse for you and, during the early stages of testing, this stuff produced tumours in mice and the wide opinion of experts is that it should never have been made "legal" ... it's thought to play a big part in cancer in humans. For years I been happily consuming Weight Watchers products, oblivious that this stuff is so bad for you.

I think we're all becoming "sugar junkies" because of the quite unnecessary amounts being put in the majority of foods.

I now use only natural sweeteners (Stevia and Xylitol) ... Stevia is only available on the net, but Xylitol is now available in selected supermarkets as "Perfect Sweet".

Sorry, I know I've gone off topic, but it's something I've become very passionate about!

sashacat

I always use wholemeal flour for scones and crumbles and pastry and the like. Sometimes I use half/half.....it depends only on what's in the cupboard. I think things taste better with wholemeal flour and it is definitely better for you than white flour. I got white flour for the christmas cake and one or two other specific recipes but other than those wholemeal always