Whole-wheat flour is used in baking of breads and other baked goods, and also typically mixed with lighter “white” unbleached or bleached flours (that have been treated with flour bleaching agent(s)) to restore nutrients (especially fiber, protein, and vitamins), texture, and body to the white flours that can be lost …

Don’t forget to add a leavening agent if you’re using plain whole-wheat flour in place of self-rising flour. Whole-wheat flour is a whole-grain substitute for self-rising flour. It’s best used for hearty baked goods like breads and muffins.

Substitute for Whole wheat flour

• All purpose flour (end result will be fluffier, less dense) or use 1/4 cup wheat germ and 3/4 cup all-purpose flour per cup whole wheat.
• OR – Replace the whole wheat flour with graham flour.
• OR – Combine 1/2 cup whole wheat flour with 1/2 cup all-purpose flour.

Strong wholemeal flour Where possible, I use stoneground wholemeal flour, as this retains more nutrients from grain. You can also use wholemeal bread flour when baking biscuits and muffins, but I suggest you mix it with plain white flour to bring the protein level.

But if you only have plain flour or need to supplement strong flour with plain, go ahead. The loaf will rise, with a soft crumb and golden crust, and the bread will taste better than a cheap, shop- bought loaf – but it won’t have the springy chew of a loaf made entirely with strong flour.

You can definitely use regular or all-purpose flour in your bread machine. Since it contains a moderate level of protein, it can be used for most of your baked goods regardless of whether it’s bread or cookies.

You should get a bread machine if you need to make many loaves or need the extra convenience. Maybe you are tired of making bread by hand and have a busy schedule or have a physical disability. At the end of the day, bread machines are very convenient, useful and worth every penny.

It’s considerably cheaper to make your own bread than to buy it, if you’re comparing similar types of loaves. In a recent comparison*, the ingredients for a loaf of homemade classic sandwich bread cost $2.06, or 13 cents per slice.

Most bread makers are fairly efficient and according to expert reviews use about 0.41kWh of electricity when making a standard loaf of white bread, which works out as about 6p per loaf.