Division Eleven
Quick Breads: Drop Batters
Lesson CXX
Fine and Coarse Flours — Muffins
DIFFERENCES IN WHEAT FLOURS.—Examine white flour, whole wheat flour, and graham flour. Notice the difference in color, grittiness, and quantity of bran (cellulose).
As has been mentioned before, all cereals or grains have an outer hard covering of cellulose (see Cellulose). Cereals also contain a germ from which the young plant springs. In the preparation of fine flours, the germ and most of the cellulose covering are removed. Whole wheat (erroneously named) has part of the outer covering removed. Graham91 flour, properly made, contains all the materials of the wheat grain. The germ is rich in fat, protein, and ash. The outer part, called bran, contains more ash, fat, and protein than does the center of the grain. Hence with the removal of the germ and bran, much of the protein and ash is lost (see Figure 85). However, much graham flour is a mixture of inferior flour and bran.
THE MILLING OF FLOUR.—In the milling of fine flour, the wheat kernels are passed through a series of rollers and sifters that crush the wheat and separate the bran from the other materials. The greater the number of times the flour is subjected to the rolling and sifting process, the more thoroughly are the parts of the grain separated and the more finely are they crushed. When the separation is complete, the resulting fine flour consists almost entirely of the center of the crushed grains (called middlings). Flour made with fewer rollings and siftings contains more of the outer coats. In general, the term patent is applied to flour made from the middlings. The flour containing more of the outer coats is called baker’s or family flour. Patent flour contains more starch than does baker’s flour while baker’s flour contains more protein than does patent flour. The terms patent and baker’s vary in meaning, however, in different localities.
VALUE OF COARSE FLOUR.—Analyses show that graham and whole wheat flours contain more protein and ash than fine white flour. So it would seem that breads made from these coarser flours furnish more body-building material. But investigations have shown that the protein contained in the coarse flours is not entirely assimilated and that about the same quantity of protein is digested and absorbed from fine as from coarse flours.
The coarser grain products, however, have more available ash than the fine flours. Indeed, experiments show that the bran of coarse cereals is a valuable source of ash92 and that whole wheat flour is a more complete food than fine or bolted wheat flour.93 Doubtless, for many persons, whole wheat foods are more beneficial than fine flour products.
PER CENT OF NUTRIENTS; NUTRITIVE VALUES.—The per cent of nutrients in a food does not always indicate the quantity of nourishment it will yield. The nutrient must be in a condition to be absorbed. Wheat grains contain as much protein when whole as when ground into meal, yet uncooked whole wheat grains yield little nourishment to the body. They pass through the system with much nutriment unextracted. Even if the unbroken grains are thoroughly cooked, they will not furnish as much nourishment to the body as they will when in the form of meal.
In the consideration of nutritive value, the personal factor enters, for some persons assimilate food much more easily or completely than others. In summing up what has been said, it will be seen that three factors determine the nutritive value of a food: (a) per cent of nutrients, (b) form of nutrients, and (c) personal digestive characteristics.
DROP BATTERS.—All batters can be stirred with a spoon. Drop batters are somewhat stiffer than pour batters. They contain, approximately, two parts of flour to one part of moisture. Compare the Plain Muffin recipe below with that for Popovers. Note how the recipes differ in the quantity of flour used. Why do muffins contain baking powder, while popovers do not? Muffin mixture is a typical drop batter.
Plain Muffins
2 cupfuls flour 3 1/2 teaspoonfuls baking powder 1/2 teaspoonful salt 2 tablespoonfuls fat 1 to 2 tablespoonfuls sugar 1 egg 1 cupful milk
Break the egg into a mixing bowl, beat it. Add the milk to it. Melt the fat, add it to the egg mixture.
Measure the dry ingredients thoroughly. Add them (through a sifter) to the other ingredients. Mix quickly and thoroughly, and drop into buttered muffin pans. Bake in a hot oven (400 degrees F.) from 25 to 30 minutes.
Whole wheat flour may be substituted for fine white flour.
For graham muffins, use 1 cupful of fine white flour and 1 cupful of graham flour.
1 1/8 cupfuls of sour milk may be used instead of 1 cupful of sweet milk. If this substitution is made, use 1/2 teaspoonful baking soda and decrease the baking powder to 2 teaspoonfuls.
Molasses may be substituted for sugar.
Questions
Account for the quantity of baking powder in the muffin recipes. What determines the quantity of baking powder?
Write a recipe for muffins, using sour cream instead of milk. What ingredients may be decreased in quantity if sour cream is used?
If all the cups in the muffin pan are not filled with batter, how should the empty cups be protected while in the oven?
How many muffins will the recipes above make?
From U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bulletin No. 28, tabulate the percentage composition of patent wheat flour, of graham flour, and of “entire” wheat flour. Which contains the most protein and ash? Which probably yields the most protein to the body? Account for the discrepancy (see Value of Coarse Flour).
Tabulate the percentage composition of baker’s flour and of a high grade of wheat flour (patent roller process). Which contains the more protein? Which, the more carbohydrates?
What is the weight of a barrel of flour? Of an ordinary sack of flour?
What is the present price per sack of baker’s and of high-grade patent flour?
How many cupfuls in a pound of flour?
In what quantity are whole wheat flour and graham flour usually purchased for home use? What is the price per pound of each?
Notes
91 Graham flour is so called because Dr. Sylvester Graham advocated the use of the entire grain and devised a method of preparing it.
92 See “Chemistry of Food and Nutrition,” Second Edition, H. C. Sherman, p. 306, “Grain Products,” and p. 308.
93 See “The Newer Knowledge of Nutrition,” E.V. McCollum, p.140.