How to substitute healthy flours for all purpose flour in bread baking

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Learn how to substitute healthy flours for all purpose flour in bread baking

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About This Topic

Protein content in flours

Let’s look at protein content of some commonly used flours in baking

Moisture content in flours

Percentage of substitution

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About This Topic

We are always looking for options to substitute all purpose flour (or maida) in bread baking with whole wheat flour or any other healthier alternative. But, often we end up in getting a bread that is dry, dense and crumbly.

In this article, we will be sharing with you few tips which will help you to decide on flour substitutes effectively without compromising much on the end result.

Protein content in flours

Protein content in flours is an important point to consider before choosing any flour for baking breads. Protein content in the flours you are adding to your bread dough will affect the final texture and result of your bread.

Higher protein flours result in a dense and crusty breads and lower protein flours result in breads that are soft and light.

Let’s look at protein content of some commonly used flours in baking

Flour	Protein content
Whole Wheat Flour	14 %
Bread Flour	12% – 13%
All Purpose Flour	11% – 12%

Protein content is higher in other healthier flours like multigrain flour, rye flour, ragi flour and others.

Moisture content in flours

If you are substituting higher protein content flours (like wheat, multigrain…) in place of all purpose flour, then you have to increase the moisture content in your bread dough. So, you need to add more water then the recipe calls, since high protein content flours requires more moisture.

Percentage of substitution

If you will substitute just 25% whole wheat flour in a recipe, then you will not observe major changes to your baked bread. Ideal substitute ratio of wheat flour should be 50% and for other multigrain flours it should be 25%.

100% all purpose flour	50% wheat flour – 50% all purpose flour
	25% multigrain flour – 75% all purpose flour
	25% wheat flour – 25% multigrain flour – 50% all purpose flour

But if you wish to use 100% whole wheat flour or a combination of multigrain flour and whole wheat flour, then you need to follow the sponge method in bread baking. We have already shared detailed recipe with all the tips and tricks

Below is the video recipe for 100% whole wheat bread (sponge method)

More Baking Tips & Basics

Also, do have a look at other Bread Recipes on the blog :

Eggless Herbed Focaccia Bread Recipe

Sooji (Semolina) Ladi Pav

Eggless Tutti Fruity Sweet Buns

10 tips to make perfect bread + failproof sandwich bread recipe

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