all-purpose flour

All-purpose flour is a type of flour made from a blend of hard or soft wheats. It is suitable for most cooking and baking needs, except for very delicate cakes. In modern usage, the term "flour" typically refers to wheat flour, which is a primary ingredient in baked goods like bread.12

Flour is made from finely ground cereal grains or other starchy plant parts. Wheat kernels consist of the starchy endosperm, bran, and germ. Refined flour production involves separating the endosperm from the other parts through milling. When mixed with water, wheat flour's protein forms gluten, an elastic substance that allows dough to rise. Flours from soft wheats are used for cakes and cookies, while those from hard wheats are better for bread. All-purpose flour is a refined, bleached, or unbleached flour suitable for general recipes.2