Q&A

There are many types of cooking and baking flour, but if we categorize them by their common uses, they can be broadly divided as follows:

1. Wheat Flour
This is the main ingredient in baking. It's categorized by protein (gluten) content:
• Cake flour: Lowest protein content, fine and light texture, suitable for soft cakes or sponge cakes.
• All-purpose flour: Versatile, can be used for almost everything, including cookies, noodles, and fried foods.
• Bread flour: High protein content, chewy and elastic texture, suitable for making bread or donuts.
2. Starch & Others
This group of flours is often used in blends to adjust texture or for savory dishes:
• Rice flour: Coagulates easily, popular in Thai desserts such as Khanom Thuay (steamed rice cakes) or mixed into batter for a crispy texture.
• Glutinous rice flour: Soft and chewy, suitable for desserts requiring elasticity, such as Bua Loy (rice balls in coconut milk) or Mochi.
• Tapioca starch: Gives food a thick, viscous, and translucent texture, such as in Rad Na (spicy gravy) or Tub Tim Krob (crispy water chestnut dessert). (It will easily return to a liquid state when cooled.)
• Cornstarch: Similar to tapioca starch but thicker and more stable. It doesn't easily return to a liquid state. Popularly used in pastry fillings or sauces.
• Arrowroot starch: A premium grade flour that provides excellent clarity and smoothness. Often used in high-end Thai desserts to give them a beautiful sheen.
3. Specialty Flour
• Crispy Frying Flour: Usually a mixture of wheat flour, rice flour, and leavening agents.
• Semolina Flour: Made from durum wheat. Coarse texture, yellow color. Used to make pasta.

The difference lies in "protein content." Cake flour has the lowest protein content, resulting in a soft and light texture. Bread flour has the highest protein content, resulting in a chewy, soft, and elastic texture. All-purpose flour is in between the two and can be used to make cookies, noodles, or fried foods.

Yes, you can, but the texture will be denser. The trick is to mix a little cornstarch into the all-purpose flour (about 2 tablespoons per 1 cup) to reduce the protein content. This will help the texture of the dessert become softer, closer to cake batter.

If you want a thick and clear texture like in gravy or tapioca pudding, tapioca starch is recommended. But if you want a thick, stable texture that doesn't easily become watery when cooled, such as in custard fillings or various sauces, cornstarch is recommended.

Arrowroot starch is a premium grade starch that provides a unique clarity and smooth texture. When used in Thai desserts, it gives the dessert a glossy appearance and a chewy, soft texture that isn't stiff. It's often used in layered desserts to enhance the texture.

We recommend using ready-made crispy batter mix or a blend of wheat and rice flour. Additionally, using ice-cold water when mixing the batter will reduce oil absorption and result in a longer-lasting crispness.

Store in a dry and cool place, away from moisture and sunlight. After opening, reseal tightly or store in an airtight container to prevent insects and odors.