January 9, 2010 - 8:03am
Sifting your troubles away?
So, in my past few weeks of baking, I've begun to sift my flour before adding it to the mix - I've only been making loaves I've made many times before, by the way. I started doing it in an attempt to make my measurements more exact, but it seems that the crumb has improved since I've started to sift. Am I only fooling myself here, or does sifting it really make a difference? Just curious.... thanks!
Share
If your sifting before you measure then what you are doing is adding less flour to your dough which will usually give you a lighter, softer loaf.
Good to hear it's not just me! thanks..,!
Are you measuring by volume (cups) or weight?
Well, I am actually on a long visit with my family - when I am at home, I always measure flour weights in grams, but my family hasn't got a scale, and only U.S. measurements, not metric. That's why I started sifting the flour - because cups can be so inexact, I was trying to compensate. Do you think there's a large difference here!
Thanks!
Hi Erzsebet WELCOME BACK i hope you ejoyed your holiday to the USA, swapping 1 lot of cold for another.
sifting flour will definately make a difference it aerates the flour allows better distribution of all your ingediants and when adding your fluids alows the fluid to come into contact with dry ingrediants more readily.
It will also remove contaminants or allow you to see if there were any in the flour which can range from bits os string used to close bigger bags globs of glue on smaller packages even rodents calling cards!(rare)
Sifting/ sieving very best practice in fact.
regards YOZZA
Hi! Good to say hello... actually, I am still in America visiting family - we are here until March, spending time together and lazing about - and baking with them, too! I'm trying to bestow tutorials upon teenaged brothers. I suppose I will have to include sifting flour in there, too! It's nice to get confirmation about my suspicions. And how are you? How's the weather in your hemisphere? After the rains of Hungary, I'm shocked to be buried in snow.... talk to you soon!
Erzsebet