Flour questions

[Dimpi]

Some questions from a baking novice -

1) Where is self rising flour used and where is all-purpose flour used?
2) Can I substitute regular flour+baking powder for self rising flour?
3) What is the difference between regular and unbleached flour? Which is better and why?
4) Some recipes call for mixing the dry and wet ingredients just enough to moisten. And some recipes call for beating the dough well until smooth (my mom used to beat cake dough well). Generally, when do you do which and why?

Thanks a bunch guys!

[MEAN CHEF]

Dimpi wrote:
Some questions from a baking novice -

1) Where is self rising flour used and where is all-purpose flour used?
2) Can I substitute regular flour+baking powder for self rising flour?
3) What is the difference between regular and unbleached flour? Which is better and why?
4) Some recipes call for mixing the dry and wet ingredients just enough to moisten. And some recipes call for beating the dough well until smooth (my mom used to beat cake dough well). Generally, when do you do which and why?

Thanks a bunch guys!

One can only hope you are not talking about bread. Self rising flour should be extinguished from your vocabulary - no self respecting chef uses it.

[Dimpi]

No, I wasn't taking about bread actually, but cakes/sweet breads, muffins etc.
I've never bought or used or paid any attention to self rising flour before but recently saw several recipes that called for it and I got curious.
Keeping in mind your advice, I'd still love to know why I shouldn't use it and your thoughts on the other questions I asked.

[txzuckerbaeckerin]

Clean up on isle 5!!

Hi Dimpi
just some info for you on all the flour stuff:

1)You can use AP flour in almost all recipes, but shouldn't use it for special bread recipes, as it is not strong enough to make a good bread (lack of protein and gluten). that said leaves selfrising flour for all recipes, that specifically ask for it. The reason: selfrising flour has about 2 level tsp of baking powder to 8 oz of AP flour (answer to question 2) and all sorts of other additives, that make it hard to calculate around, when You want to follow a special recipe. Many recipes differ wildly in the amount of baking powder needed, so don't go there.

3) regular flour will have a slightly creamy color to it, whereas bleached flour is noticably lighter. Bleaching is/was done with a chemical agent called benzoyl peroxide or is sometimes also done with oxegyn. It is a purely cosmetic matter and you can pick either one. From my point of view. It was though to be "purer" and looks cleaner. It is important for some few recipes, where the goal is to achive the look of pure white....

4) just mixing ingredients insures a light, airy, not dense texture as the gluten can not develop and the doughtexture you want should not be chewy(muffins, bisquits). Mixing batter well will insure very great dispensation and insure a dense, fine texture (poundcake etc).
Dough, that is ment to result in a chewy texture (Challah like) will have to be kneaded to insure gluten development; you will feel, when the dough becomes elastic and forms blisters on the surface.

I hope, that this will help you a wee bit and good luck.
We are here to help TZB

[txzuckerbaeckerin]

Forgot to mention cake flour:
that is used for cakes..(oh, really, who would have thought???)
Used speciffically , as it achives a very light, delicate texture. here is a recipe for a cake flour substitute: #87689
It works great and is so much cheaper, than the store bought flour.
TZB

[Dimpi]

TZB, many thanks for such an informative reply!

[txzuckerbaeckerin]

hi Dimpi, it was my pleasure and I hope, it will help a little bit.! TZB