When you start learning about all the different wheat berry varieties, it can get over whelming. I want to help you choose the wheat berries that will work best for whatever delicious thing you are cooking up!
What are the Different Categories of the Wheat Berry Varieties?
When you discuss wheat berry varieties there are a few ways people divide them up to help you know what to expect from the different wheats.
Modern Wheat Vs. Ancient Wheat
Modern wheat is named ‘modern’ because it has been hybridized after world war 2. It is mass produced now because of the changes that made it easier to grow and harvest.
Hybridization is a selection process that all farmers do and have done for a long time.
When farmers notice that some wheat plants grow in a way they like they use those wheat seeds next year as a crop. Farmers keep selecting crops that work for them and eventually the hybridized wheat looks different than it did in the beginning.
Modern wheats have been hybridized to grow quickly, grow short, have a bigger berry (seed), and have been selected for protein content.
These selections help the farmers harvest more and easier than the ancient wheats. Modern wheats are what most flour in the store is made of, so it can be easier to switch to modern wheats than ancient wheats.
Ancient wheats are wheats that have been cultivated in different cultures for thousands of years and still have their original characteristics. Those who seek alternatives to modern grains may find ancient grains a better alternative.
Ancient grains may also cause less inflammation and irritation in people who are sensitive to gluten. Please research ancient grains if you are sensitive to wheat or gluten and talk to your health care provider to see if it is safe for you.
Hard Wheat Vs. Soft Wheat
There are 2 baking categories for the wheat berry: hard wheat and soft wheat.
Hard wheat is wheat that has a hard exterior and is used to make food that needs to rise and hold air inside it. Think a loaf of bread, rolls, or pita pockets.
Hard Wheat has a high protein content and that protein helps gluten development.
Soft Wheat is used to make things that are soft and don’t need to rise or trap air. Think tortillas, cookies, apple crisps, or thickening stews. Soft wheat is lower in protein and does not create gluten.
Winter Wheat vs. Spring Wheat
Sometimes you hear the term winter or spring wheat.
This talks about when the wheat was sown or planted. Winter wheat was sown in the fall so it went through a winter and is harvested in early spring. Spring wheat was planted in the spring and harvested in the fall.
This is for the people purchasing to know about the wheat’s growing cycle, but does not change the way the wheat is used.
What are the Differences in Wheat Berry Varieties?
Now that you know about modern wheats, ancient wheats, hard wheats, soft wheats, winter wheats, and spring wheats we can dive into the wheat berry varieties and what each berry is good at in baking!
Most wheat berries have similar nutrition, so I will not discuss a lot about the nutrition of the varieties of wheat berries unless it is different. If you would like to learn more about the nutrition facts specifically please look up the wheat berry you are thinking of on Azure Standard’s Website linked here.
Quick Start Guide for the Different Types of Wheat Berry
Sometimes you just want to know fast what kind of wheat works for your baked good!
For Yeast or Sourdough Breads:
Hard Red, Hard White, Spelt, Khorasan – You can add the other varieties in small amounts for flavor.
For Tortillas and Flat Breads:
Hard Red, Hard White, Spelt, Khorasan, Soft White Wheat, Soft Red Wheat, Emmer, Einkorn
For Cookies, Cakes, and Pastries:
Soft White Wheat, Spelt, Soft Red Wheat, Emmer, Einkorn
For Pasta:
Durum, Khorasan
Best Wheat Berries for Beginners:
Hard Red, Hard White, Spelt, Emmer – Get 5lbs of each and finds out which you like!
Best Ancient Wheat Berries for Beginners:
Spelt, Emmer, Khorasan – Get 5lbs of each and finds out which you like!
The Hard Wheats
Durum
Hard Ancient Wheat
Durum wheat is what semolina flour is made of. You can mill durum and use it where ever you use semolina flour. I use it for the bottom of pizzas, because it adds a nice crunch to it.
Semolina is primarily used for pasta, because of its chewy texture. You can add durum wheat to breads too, if you want it to be chewier.
Hard Red
Hard Modern Wheat
When you think of whole wheat you are probably thinking of hard red wheat! King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour is made from hard red wheat.
I have a large stock of hard red in my home because my family likes it’s flavor and it is great at developing gluten. I use half hard red and half spelt in almost all my baking that needs to rise!
Hard red wheat is named hard red because it has a reddish color to it that makes baked goods darker in color.
Hard White
Modern Hard Wheat
White Whole Wheat Flour is made from Hard White. Hard white wheat is one of the most popular wheat berries.
It has a mild flavor that is similar to white bread. It is also a lighter color so it can pass for white bread better too, if you want to keep the look of your bread white. The mild flavor makes it great for adding flavors to, like garlic bread!
It is a modern wheat so it is easier to switch to for beginners and can be used to make beautiful loaves of bread and rolls. If your family is hesitant to switch to whole grains, hard white might be the perfect grain for you!
I don’t stock it in my kitchen currently, because we have learned that we prefer hard red wheat.
Spelt
Hard Ancient Wheat
This is my favorite grain!
Spelt has a nutty flavor like hard red wheat so I use half spelt and half hard red for most of the bread recipes I make.
Spelt is wonderful for quick breads and pancakes. I love to use it by itself when I don’t need gluten development.
If you are not sure which grain to start with, I recommend spelt for beginners. Spelt is usually a one to one replacement with store flour, so if you have trouble switching to milled flour, then spelt can give you some quick success!
Emmer (Farro)
Hard Ancient Wheat
Emmer may also go by the name Farro in stores. The name changes depending where you live in the world.
Emmer is what I use when I run out of spelt. I like to cook emmer in place of rice.
Emmer has a nutty flavor that is not as pronounced as spelt. It delicious in pancakes cookies and quick breads!
I love using it with hard red to make delicious breads, especially cheesy bread rolls.
Khorasan (KAMUT) –
Hard Ancient Wheat
Khorasan is the name of the actual wheat berry, but KAMUT is it’s trade marked name. Many people like Khorasan because of its versatility and flavor. It has a buttery flavor that is delicious in baked goods and it also makes delicious pasta!
Khorasan can be used with hard white or hard red to make beautiful loaves of bread.
If you are having a hard time finding a flour that tastes similar to white flour bread, try out Khorasan. You may find that it is your favorite grain!
Khorasan has more essential minerals, a higher protein content, and more amino acids compared to other wheats.
Rye
Hard Ancient Wheat
My love for rye is deep.
I love using rye flour to support my sourdough starter. Rye also really does well with hard red wheat when you want to make a beautiful pumpernickel bread.
Rye is great for sourdough and yeast because of the of its rich nutrition and the amylase which boosts rapid fermentation. If your starter is acting sluggish try adding in some rye flour and it should perk up in no time!
If you are not a fan of rye bread it may not actually be rye berries that you don’t like. Rye is usually paired with caraway seeds when baked. Give rye flour a try and see what you think!
Rye added in small parts to any bread adds it’s earthy flavor. I like to use rye in small parts because rye does not develop gluten well. When added to breads they become sticky and tend to fall apart.
Einkorn
Hard Ancient Wheat
Einkorn is the oldest wheat berries we have today and it is also one of the smallest. Despite corn in the name it is not a corn product. Einkorn is German for ‘one grain’. It only has one wheat berry per spike on the plant.
Einkorn has experienced popularity lately because of social media and Jovial Foods. The family behind Jovial Foods found that their daughter was sensitive to gluten, but when they experimented they found out she could tolerate einkorn products well. Read more about their story here.
Einkorn is high in protein and carbohydrates, but not great at developing gluten. It is a great addition to quick breads or things that do not need kneading. Over kneading einkorn can lead to a glue like consistency.
Einkorn is a difficult wheat to bake with because it really struggles with gluten development and can be rather finicky. If you decide you want to cook with mostly einkorn I recommend you get the book Einkorn: Recipes for Natures Original Wheat.
I was able to get it at my library and it was such an interesting read! It offers a lot of einkorn recipes and gives tips to help any baker learn how to use einkorn well.
The Soft Wheats
Soft White Wheat
Modern Soft Wheat
Soft white wheat has a similar flavor to hard white wheat, but soft white wheat doesn’t have the protein content to develop gluten. Since it cannot develop gluten it is excellent for cookies, cakes, quick breads, pastries, biscuits, and other baked goods that do not need gluten development.
Soft white wheat can be tricky to work with at first, because you need to add more to recipes. Soft white wheat has a higher water content than most other wheats and so when using it in recipes you need to account for that.
Usually for every cup of flour called for in recipes you need a cup and a fourth of soft white wheat.
That means for every cup the recipe is asking for use 150 grams (1 and 1/4 cup) of soft white wheat berries.
Soft Red Wheat
Modern Soft Wheat
I have heard of soft red wheat, but I have never gotten to see if in person. It may be hard for you to find if you are looking for it.
Soft red wheat is supposed to have a heartier flavor similar to hard red wheat, but still cannot develop gluten.
Do You Have Favorite Wheat Berry Varieties?
Which wheat berries are your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
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