Most flour you see at the store is made from wheat, nuts, corn, and more, but manufacturers have gotten creative. There are many unique variations of flour, and one great example is citrus flour.
Since citrus flour is not a common ingredient, you may be curious as to what citrus flour is. I looked up the facts, and here is what I learned!
What Is Citrus Flour?
Citrus flour is a type of powder created from citrus fiber, which comes from citruses like oranges, grapefruits, and lemons. Normally, citrus flour has a neutral taste that goes undetected in most recipes. Moreover, citrus flour is great to bind water, thicken, gel, and stabilizing many recipes, especially baking recipes.
Do you want to learn how citrus flour is made, if citrus flour can replace flour, and what you can substitute for citrus flour? Keep reading!
What Is Citrus Flour Made Of?
Citrus flour is a powder made from the fiber of citruses like grapefruits, lemons, and oranges.
Is Citrus Flour The Same As Citrus Fiber?
Citrus flour is the same as citrus fiber because they are merely different names for the same thing.
Generally, citrus fiber is the more commonly used term for citrus flour, and citrus fiber is only called “citrus flour” because the product looks similar to flour.
What Does Citrus Flour Taste Like?
Surprisingly, most citrus flours have a neutral taste and do not taste anything like citrus.
Moreover, citrus flour’s flavor may be undetectable when used in most recipes because the flavor of other ingredients can overpower the citrus flour.
How Is Citrus Flour Made?
Generally, citrus flour is first made by taking the leftover fibrous material from citruses after the citrus has been juiced.
Next, the citrus fiber gets rinsed with water then the citrus fiber gets run through a process that opens the fiber while increasing the surface area, creating a powder similar to flour.
What Is Citrus Flour Used For?
Generally, citrus flour may be used as a thickening agent since citrus flour has excellent stabilizing, thickening, and gelling abilities.
For instance, citrus flour may be used in recipes to create custard if you need the custard to be thicker.
Another reason people use citrus flour is for citrus flour’s water-binding capabilities since citrus flour can hold 7-10 times its weight in water.
Since citrus flour can bind water well, citrus flour is excellent at keeping cookies and cakes moist and soft for longer periods.
Moreover, the water-binding abilities of citrus flour are excellent if you need to enhance the freshness and texture of gluten-free baked goods since most gluten-free baked goods tend to be tough.
Additionally, citrus flour can be a great ingredient for vegan desserts since citrus flour can be added to egg-free recipes and replace oil.
Normally, reducing or eliminating oil and eggs removes the moist mouthfeel, which can impact the texture of your recipe since oil and eggs add structure.
Therefore, adding citrus flour to a baked recipe can improve the texture of your recipe since citrus flour has soluble and insoluble components that bind water tightly in dishes.
Can Citrus Flour Replace Flour?
Generally, citrus flour can only replace flour in certain recipes that require flour as a thickener or gelling agent.
Citrus flour can hold moisture well while stabilizing ingredients that need to be thickened, making citrus flour an excellent replacement for flour in those cases.
However, if the recipe calls for flour as a base ingredient, such as pancakes or bread, citrus flour cannot replace flour.
Citrus flour can absorb too much moisture and make dishes too thick and heavy if used in excess.
Therefore, citrus flour can only be used in small amounts in certain recipes to replace flour to thicken and gel dishes or to aid the moisture retention in some baking recipes.
Is Citrus Flour Gluten-Free?
Citrus flour is naturally gluten-free because citrus flour is created from citrus fiber, which does not contain any gluten.
However, it is always best to check the citrus flour’s ingredients to see if the product “may contain gluten” in the ingredients list.
Some manufacturers may create citrus flour in factories that create other gluten-containing ingredients, which could contaminate your citrus flour.
Is Citrus Flour Acidic?
Citrus flour is not acidic because citrus flour is only made from the fiber of citrus, not the acidic pulp or juice of citrus.
Is Citrus Flour Safe?
Given that you purchase your citrus flour from a reliable brand and supplier, citrus flour is generally safe to eat.
Is Citrus Flour Vegan?
Citrus flour is gluten-free since citrus flour is only created from citrus fiber and does not require any animal products or animal by-products to be made.
Moreover, citrus flour may be used to aid moisture retention and enhance the structure of vegan baking recipes since citrus flour can replace eggs and oil in some baking recipes.
What Can I Substitute For Citrus Flour?
Generally, you can use other thickenings, gelling, and stabilizing ingredients to replace citrus flour for most recipes.
For instance, cornstarch may be used to thicken recipes instead of citrus flour, and cornstarch has a very neutral flavor like citrus flour.
If you require a gelling agent for your recipe, you may opt to get some gelatin to replace your citrus flour.
Have a look at our related articles to learn what ciabatta flour is, what coffee flour is, and what corn flour powder is.
Conclusion
Citrus flour is a unique type of powder created from the fiber of citruses after juicing, such as lemons, oranges, and grapefruits.
Normally, citrus flour is used to thicken, stabilize, or gel recipes similar to flour and cornstarch. Plus, citrus flour binds water very well, enhancing the moisture and structure of baked goods.