Pastry flour is made from soft wheat, which makes it finer than all-purpose flour. In fact, its protein content places it between all-purpose and cake flours. Besides, it is a great choice for many baked goods, including cakes, cookies and muffins — just to name a few. The lower protein content of pastry flour strikes just the right balance of providing good structure (so your goodies don’t fall apart) and tenderness. It will consistently produce a lighter and more tender finished product than all-purpose flour, but with a little more strength than cake flour. Basically, pastry flour is the flour recommended if you’re trying to achieve a “tender but crumbly pastry.