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Categories: everyday baking

Tips for Sifting Flour

There is often a lot of confusion as to whether sifting should be done before or after measuring. The truth is, the amount of flour in a recipe can have a drastic effect on the outcome of your baked good, so we’re here to help make sure you know exactly what you’re doing the next time your recipe calls for “1 cup flour, sifted.”

STEP 1: Gather your tools and ingredients

Before we get started, make sure you have a fine mesh strainer or a store bought sifter and, of course, flour.

STEP 2: Read and decipher your recipe

This step is very important. Read your recipe and if it says “1 cup sifted flour”, you’re going to sift before you measure. If it says “1 cup flour, sifted” you will sift after measuring.

STEP 3: Measure flour

If your recipe reads “1 cup flour, sifted”, spoon flour into a measuring cup level to the rim and then sift. If your recipe reads “1 cup sifted flour”, spoon flour directly into the sifting tool and sift over the measuring cup and level off the flour at the rim.

STEP 4: Use Flour In Recipe

Add the measured flour into your recipe and place any excess flour into a storage container.

Perfect your baking skills by using our simple to follow techniques