Plain flour

Composition of cereal flour

Flour contains a high proportion of starches, which are a subset of complex carbohydrates also known as polysaccharides. The kinds of flour used in cooking include all-purpose (North America) or plain flour, self-rising (North America) or self-raising flour, and, in North America, cake flour. The higher the protein content, the harder and stronger the flour, and the more it will produce crispy or chewy breads. The lower the protein, the softer the flour, which is better for cakes, cookies, and pie crusts. Cereal flour consists either of the endosperm, germ, and bran together (whole-grain flour) or of the endosperm alone (refined flour).