menu search
brightness_auto
Ask or Answer anything Anonymously! No sign-up is needed!
more_vert
Why can't It just measure up my flour and add to my mixture without sifting? 
more_vert
It really depends on what your cooking. I know that if you want to bake the best thing you would so is to sift your flour foe a more fluffy feeling. Though i don't do it myself. I hardly sift my flour when baking, i always justmix it up with all the other ingredients and it still comes out fluffy. But again if you do have the time why not, sieve it to your liking.
more_vert
It is not really that important to sift your floor but if you want to have fine finished product from it that has no balls in it, you just have to sift it.
more_vert
Not all flour need to be shift, it only depends what type of baking you are going to make. 
more_vert
I don't have much knowledge on baking but the simple fact that I know is you must stir the flour very well in order to avoid it stiffing or having ball shapes in whatever you want to bake.

12 Answers

more_vert
 
done_all
Best answer
You don't have to sift your flour always but you'd do yourself a lot of good by sifting It. Sifting your flour allows you a finer mixture while doing your dough and other kinds of combination. 

Sifting flour helps to remove bugs, shaft, debris, stones and other contaminants that you wouldn't want to see in your finished product. I often encounter such when I buy flour from open markets. 

Sifting your flour gives you a more accurate measurement as some times, unsifted flour is more clumped together and dense hence when you measure, it may be more than you really need. When you sift, it aerates the flour, makes it lighter and gives you a fluffy mixture. 
thumb_up_off_alt 0 like thumb_down_off_alt 0 dislike
more_vert
I used to be a cook in an old people's home and we made so many cakes for them. We didn't always sift the flour, it depended on how much time we had but it does make the mixture finer and the cakes will be much lighter.

It is mainly done to sift out impurities and get rid of lumps. It can be the difference between lumpy baked goods and a fine professional tasting product. Although not essential sifting is recommended for better tasting bread and cakes.
thumb_up_off_alt 0 like thumb_down_off_alt 0 dislike
more_vert
One of the most important reasons to shit flour is the fact that flour can have bugs in it. Small bugs get in flour and you don't want these in your food. In many countries, food is shipped in by boats. The boats have bugs, rats, and who knows what else on them. These rodents and bugs can get into the packaging of food products on the trip from one place to another. No matter how careful you are this happens. When the flour arrives in your store it already has small bugs in it. Therefore, it is necessary to shift the flour when cooking so the bugs don't get in your food. 

Furthermore, when making cream sauces or even thickening a sauce, you should shift your flour. This helps to take the lumps out of the flour and make a creamy, smooth sauce. 

It isn't necessary to shift flour all the time, but considering I live in the topic I have the habit to do this. I keep my flour in the refrigerator, but when the flour comes from the market at times it already has bugs in it. I just have the habit to do this now because I don't like bugs in my food. 
thumb_up_off_alt 0 like thumb_down_off_alt 0 dislike
more_vert
Sifting is very essential but not all the time. Its good to do sifting especially when the flour has been lying around for quite some time. Also , we do sifting to remove husks if possible. 

When you do sifting, you aerate the flour(allowing air through) thus making the flour lighter, this in turn makes it easier mixing when making a dough.

What you have to know is that when sifting, you need to sift the equivalent proportion to the dough you want to make considering the amount of ingredients you have 
thumb_up_off_alt 0 like thumb_down_off_alt 0 dislike
more_vert
Putting your flour through a sifter will break up any lumps in the flour, which means you can get a more accurate measurement. Sifted flour is much lighter than unsifted flour. 
thumb_up_off_alt 0 like thumb_down_off_alt 0 dislike
more_vert
There is no longer a significant need to sift flour because the majority of commercial flour is refined and clump-free. But then, you should weigh your cups of flour on a kitchen scale to make sure they aren't significantly heavier.
thumb_up_off_alt 0 like thumb_down_off_alt 0 dislike
more_vert
It's always good to shift your flour because if you don't when doing your mixture it will be difficult to get a smooth mixture so sifting our flour separate seedy flour from it .
thumb_up_off_alt 0 like thumb_down_off_alt 0 dislike
more_vert
Whether or not you need to sift flour depends on the type of recipe you are making. Generally speaking, sifting flour helps to lighten it, which can help make cakes, muffins, and other baked goods more tender and airy. However, if you are making a recipe that requires a heavier texture, such as a bread recipe, sifting may not be necessary. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide whether or not you should sift your flour based on the recipe you are making.
thumb_up_off_alt 0 like thumb_down_off_alt 0 dislike
more_vert
There are a few reasons why you might need to sift flour: to mix the flour with the food, to through out the mixture with your fingers, or to clean the bowl and ingredients.
thumb_up_off_alt 0 like thumb_down_off_alt 0 dislike
more_vert
Yes this helps to separate the flour from pieces of husk, seeds, and other debris, including bugs. Thankfully, today's commercial flours are refined well enough that sifting is not called for in everyday baking.
thumb_up_off_alt 0 like thumb_down_off_alt 0 dislike
more_vert
Why You Should Sift Flour. Putting your flour through a sifter will break up any lumps in the flour, which means you can get a more accurate measurement. Sifted flour is also much lighter and airier than unsifted flour and is easier to mix into other ingredients when making batters and doughs
thumb_up_off_alt 0 like thumb_down_off_alt 0 dislike
more_vert
It was always necessary to sift in order to separate the flour from pieces of husk, seeds, and other debris, including bugs. Thankfully, today's commercial flours are refined well enough that sifting is not called for in everyday baking.
thumb_up_off_alt 0 like thumb_down_off_alt 0 dislike
Whenever you have a question in your mind, just drop it on Answeree. Help our community grow.
...