The Right Way To Measure Flour

[Mama Mangia]

THE RIGHT WAY TO MEASURE FLOUR

Gently stir flour to loosen and break up any clumps. Spoon flour (don't pack it down) until it's slightly above rim of measuring cup. Level off excess flour with the edge of metal spatula (or blunt side of knife blade.)

[aeiou]

Mama is there any need to sift the flour that you buy today in the grocery stores? Was the method of sifting flour before measuring used just to get rid of the lumps you mention. I can't honestly say that I have ever really noticed lumps in my flour.

[medako]

Great tip Mama....there are so many people that honestly don't measure flour right and then wonder why their end result is too thick or dense.

[Mama Mangia]

Sifting is only done when called for in a specific recipe. Flour should not be lumpy in the bag - be careful where it is stored so that it does not clump together.

[Mama Mangia]

When making breads, foccacia, yeast doughs (sweet breads), etc. - I do not sift my flour - most of those types of recipes do not call for sifting. Many cookie recipes do not call for sifting. But many cake recipes call for sifting.

Flour may "pack" in transporting, storing, etc. and sifting will give you the proper measure when the recipe calls for sifted flour.

Regardless of whether you use a sifter with the hand crank (like on a jack-in-the-box) or one with the double handle that you squeeze to sift or (if you are like me) tap a wire mesh strainer to sift - remember that it is best to sift first before measuring.

One trick of the trade is to place a sheet of waxed paper on your counter top and place your measuring cup (a one cup measure for dry ingredients - the type that does not have a pour spout on it) in the middle, sift your flour over the cup filling it into a nice soft heap - then level off with your straight-edge (spatula or the back of a butter knife) for the proper and correct measure of flour. Then lift your waxed paper and gently "pour" into your measuring cup (if the recipe is calling for more flour) again with a soft heap and level off.

Many dry ingredients clump and need to be sifted - such as cocoa, baking powder, etc. I always sift those separate from my flour - to make sure I get the correct measure.

In regards to measuring cups - there are two basic kinds - the glass (Pyrex for instance) with the pour spout are strictly for LIQUID measure. Those cute little "nested" plastic cups are the ones you should use for DRY measure.

I did a little "experiment" one day to amuse myself - I weighed a cup of flour that I just scooped out of the bag with the measuring cup (which is something you are not supposed to do!!!) and then I did the proper "spoon/level into the measuring cup" measure and I did a proper/correct sifted measure.

I found that the totally incorrect way of measuring by dipping the cup into the bag gave me a flour weight of 6+ ounces; the proper/correct spoon/level gave me about 5.6 ounces and the sifted gave me about 5 ounces.

This proves that incorrect flour measurement can give you anywhere from 20 to 25% more flour than you need and your finished product will not turn out as desired.

Maybe I should find other ways to amuse myself! LOL!!!

[GregGraves]

Do you remember the Frugal Gourmet Show on PBS? Jeff Smith used to always swear by weighing flour. My experience is the amount of flour seems to vary in the same recipe for bread on any given day. Maybe the humidity plays part, and maybe the Frug's weighing accounts for that and I'm just not a believer. I find I have to adjust recipes by up to a 1/2 cup flour to get the bread dough kneading right.

[Mama Mangia]

Yes I have seen that Greg - and many bakers will NOT measure - only weigh. Humidity and temperature does play a very important role in baking and working with flours and even yeast. That is why you will see in many recipes (bread or sweet breads for instance) will say add as much of the remaining flour to get a smooth dough. Always go by feel, look, touch!