What is the difference between pastry flour, plain flour and bread flour?

Depending on which part of the world you live, they may be called differently. Cake and pastry flour is also called soft flour, plain flour is all purpose flour, bread flour is strong flour. Cake and pastry flour has a low gluten content. Bread flour is high in protein, making it high in gluten. High gluten flour produces the final product of more chewy texture. I always use plain flour for bread dough because it is cheaper.