Get Your Grains: Baking with Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

Written by Lindsay Evans

By now we all know that including whole grains in your diet has heart-healthy benefits. But if you're like most people, you're stuck wondering just how to make healthy changes in your diet - ones that you can live with. Surprisingly, most recipes that call for white flour can use whole wheat pastry flour in its place.

Whole wheat pastry flour is milled from the whole grains of a low-protein variety of wheat. The resulting flour is fine in texture and low in gluten and protein, while still containing its bran and germ. Whole wheat pastry flour has been a longtime favorite of pastry chefs and gourmet bakers. Now, whole wheat pastry flour can be found at most grocery and health-food stores. Whole wheat pastry flour is not suitable for using in yeast-bread recipes, but is wonderful in light-textured baked goods. Try substituting whole wheat pastry flour for half of the specified amount of white flour in recipes for cookies, scones, biscuits, muffins, pancakes, waffles, quick breads, and coffeecakes. You won't even notice a difference - and these delicious foods will be better for you!

Some recipes work very well when whole wheat pastry flour is used exclusively. Experiment with your own recipes to find your preference. Always make equal substitutions - that is, one part whole wheat pastry flour replaces one part white flour.

You'll fall in love when you try these yummy pancakes, which are made only with whole wheat pastry flour.

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 T sugar

1 egg, beaten

2/3 cup milk

1 T canola oil

1 banana, cut into thin rounds

oil for griddle

Preheat griddle or skillet on medium heat.Mix the whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, mix the egg, milk, and oil. Add milk mixture to dry ingredients, stir to combine. Lightly oil the griddle or skillet. When hot, pour about 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto griddle. Press a few slices of banana onto the top of the pancake. Flip pancake when edges bubble and cook through on other side.

Serve immediately with butter and real maple syrup or keep warm in oven. Find whole wheat pastry flour at these online retailers:

Bob's Red Mill

Amazon

Purcell Mountain Farms