The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Teff flour or Job's Tears flour? I've never heard of either. Freezing flour info.

Patti Y's picture
Patti Y

Teff flour or Job's Tears flour? I've never heard of either. Freezing flour info.

I always keep my flour in the freezer, but I was looking online for information on removing flour from the freezer to the counter before using it. I was wondering if I should put the flour I needed for a recipe straight into the refrigerator to take it to 42° F, then let it sit on the counter at room temperature before using it. Gradually warming it.

I have always just taken the flour from the freezer to the counter, and let it sit overnight. Does the flour need to warm up slowly? Does warming it up slowly help or hurt the flour? Does it still absorb the same amount of moisture? Does it matter with regards to hydration? (I have a picture in my mind of a cold glass of ice water in a warm room. Not sure if the science applies.  ?)  I still haven't found the answer yet, but I was hoping someone here would know. Does it even matter?

Anyway.....I read the post/article/informational/misinformational piece (whatever it is called) with a list of flours and how long to freeze (or cabinet store) each flour. Scroll down a little bit.

https://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--1039/flour-storage-guide.asp

1.  Does the information seem to be true about the length of storage?

2.  Has anyone heard of Teff flour or Job's Tears flour? What bread is it used for?

I am new to baking bread, though I have experience making lots of white dinner rolls. 

Any insight for me?  Thank you.

 

Edit: I found out about the 2 unknown flours, but I still don't know what kind of bread  one of them makes. Maybe Job's Tears is like a barley bread that doesn't rise much? 

Job's Tears is tall cereal grass cultivated in Asia and Africa, but rarely found in the Western world. The grain is named "Job's Tears" because its shape is similar to a teardrop. When the hull is removed and the grain is polished, it resembles polished barley and it is often considered a form of barley. The grain can then be ground into flour.

In Ethiopia, where most of the teff is grown, teff flour is a staple food product. The teff grain is so small that nearly 150 are equivalent to the weight of one grain of wheat. Teff is difficult to find in great quantities anywhere else in the world. Flour milled from white teff has a milder flavor than flour ground from red or brown types. In Ethiopia, Teff flour is most often used for a thin, very sour flatbread called injera.

Interesting, to me.

albacore's picture
albacore

If you thaw your flour initially  in the fridge, you will save a small amount of energy as the flour thaws. Flour is 15% moisture, so you will save the inverse of the latent heat of fusion of the moisture content of the flour.

You can do the same with frozen bread, where you will save more energy because it contains more moisture.

I suspect that the bread also benefits from the slower thawing; not sure about the flour.

I've tried making injera, but wasn't fully impressed with the result!

 

Lance

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

while warming up as it will attract condensation.  I would treat the flour like any non-gluten flour and first experiment subbing one third of the white flour in a familiar basic white recipe to see what it does.  I wouldn't expect the dough to rise as much as a full wheat dough but it may be surprising.   

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

I tend to experiment making little pancakes baking on a hot frying pan...

See how a batter holds together by mixing a spoon of the flour and some water and just fry it and look at the texture. Add a pinch of soda or baking powder or a dab of sourdough starter or yeast and give it time to bubble before setting with the frying pan heat.  Perhaps making pancakes works out with the addition of egg?  Change out the liquids for milk or coconut milk or juices. Crepes is one way to use the flour, then cut noodles from the crepes and serve in a hot tasty clear broth.  Or add to a stir fry.  

The flour will surely thicken liquids.  Try browning the flour with or without fat and add to liquids or sift into broths.  Roasted flour might also be interesting in dough.  As mentioned I would suggest not going over 30% of the total flour of a wheat recipe in the beginning.   Be sure to give the flour time to hydrate if it feels gritty to the tongue after cooking or baking, some grains need time just to soak up the liquids first before heating them.

https://www.bonappetit.com/entertaining-style/trends-news/article/jobs-tears-grain-recipes

Cornbread recipes might be interesting to switch out and also nut flour recipes. Gotta go check the fat content on the flour unless you have the info at your fingertips.  :)

 

Patti Y's picture
Patti Y

Thanks, Lance and Mini,

I had a feeling I was thawing flour wrong. I will put the amount I need in the refrigerator, then put it on the counter overnight in an airtight container.

That's a great idea about making pancakes first. I never thought of that.

Thanks, again.