Other Variations

Other Variations of Similar Food Products

Difference in the Chemical Changes Between the Food Products.

Plain flour goes through more gelatinization and gluten development as compared to wholemeal flour due to the presence of fiber in the wholemeal flour.

*Gelatinization = swelling of starch granules and migration of some amylose into the cooking water when starch is heated in water to thicken various food products.

*Gluten development = Complex of gliadin and glutenin that develops in wheat flour mixtures when water is added and the batter is manipulated by stirring, beating or kneading.

Wholemeal flour contains the bran of the grain as said earlier under the nutritional comparison. The fiber present in the flour absorbs water. Therefore when the flour is mixed with the liquid ingredients which contain water such as the egg and milk, the fiber absorbs the water leaving less water available in the surrounding of the flour for gelatinization to occur. This causes the plain bun using the wholemeal flour to have a weaker structure. Gelatinization occured when the batter was baked in the oven.

Also, the plain bun using the wholemeal flour does not have the 'fuller' shape and has a weaker structure is due to the reduction in gluten development. Because water is also required for this chemical process to occur. Therefore with the fiber from the bran absorbing the surrounding water, there would be less water for the starch to form gluten. The gluten is formed when the mixture was mixed to the dropping consistency.

taken from : Foods Experimental Perspectives sixth edition by Margaret McWilliams

Nutritional Comparison Between the Food Products

Plain flour : Only contains the endosperm of the grain after going through the process of milling*. The endosperm provides energy in the form of protein and carbohydrate. It is the most commonly used flour because it has an intermediate gluten level.

Wholemeal flour : Contains the bran, germ and endosperm after going through the process of milling. Only the husk of the grain is removed. The bran provides the flour with fiber, some minerals and B vitamins. It is the outer part of the grain which protects it. The germ contains B vitamins, Vitamin E and antioxidants. This part of the grain nourishes the seed and allows the grain to grow providing it nutritions. Therefore, a wholemeal grain can even still sprout after going through milling.



taken from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whole_grain

Sensory comparison between the two food products

Left : Wholemeal flour
Right : Plain Flour

Wholemeal Flour

Appearance : No uniform color in the bun. Dark brown on the top surface and bottom. Golden brown in the cross-section. No cracks observed on the surface.

Taste : Buttery and sufficiently sweet.

Texture : Size of air cells are relatively large compared to the plain flour and are evenly distributed. Crumbs fall in larger pieces and breaks apart easily when bite into.

Tenderness : Mouthfeel of the bun was coarse due to the presence of the bran and germ in the whole meal flour. Texture is rough and the grains of flour and sugar can be felt on its surface.

Shape : Very even surface. Larger surface area than bottom area. Barely any rising of the bun was observed.

Plain Flour

Appearance : Buttery-yellow color. Darker color on the top crust and base. Lighter at the cross-section of the cake. Small cracks can be observed on the top. It has a larger cross section area than the wholemeal flour bun.

Taste : Very buttery and smooth in the mouth. Taste is mixed with sugar sweetness and the unique butter taste.

Texture : Size of air cells are very fine and small. Quite evenly distributed except for the upper section of the bun where the air cells are slightly larger. Crumbles very easily and in small pieces. Crumbs size resembles the cake crumbs.

Tenderness : Very soft and smooth in the mouth with the fine all purpose flour because also the flour,sugar and butter mixed well and evenly. No hard crust on the top. Whole plain bun was soft when bitten into.

Shape : The bun rises slightly and has an uneven surface. The plain bun using the all purpose flour has a larger volume and height compared to the wholemeal flour. Also, has a larger base area. All purpose flour has about the same base area as surface area.

Picturial explaination of food product.

Grease the paper cases with melted butter.

Sift the flour,salt and baking powder into a big bowl.

Add fat into sifted flour mixture.

Rub fat with the fingertips into the flour until it resembles breadcrumb.

Resemble breadcrumbs.

Add 2 tablespoon of beaten egg and milk

Add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence.

Stir mixture until dropping consistency.

Dropping consistency.
* Do not stir it for too long.

Fill mixture into the paper cases.

Place in the preheated oven.

End product!

End product : Plain Flour

End product : Wholemeal flour

Plain Buns (Rubbing-in method)

Standard Recipe

Ingredients

• 100g plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 50g Fat
• 50g Sugar
• 1/2 egg + milk (2 tablespoon of mixture)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method

1. Heat up oven. (200 Degree Celsius / Gas Reg. 7)
2. Grease a patty tin cases or use paper cases for these cakes.
3. Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a big bowl.
4. Add sugar into the sifted mixture.
5. Rub the *fat with the fingertips into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
   
6. Pour in the beaten egg, milk and vanilla essence.
7. Stir to a dropping consistency.
8. Fill the mixture into patty tins or paper cases (**three quarters fulls)
9. Bake it in the preheated oven on the middle shelf of temperature 200 Degree Celsius or Gas Reg. 7 for 5 minutes and then lower the heat to 190 Degree Celsius or Gas Reg. 6 for another 15 minutes.

*fat = solid soften butter ** about 28grams per plain bun before baking