Even if a recipe doesn't state that sifting dry goods is needed, Williams says she always does it. "I don't think it hurts—it lightens the load," she says, meaning that the result will be a more cloud ...

Baking comes with plenty of rules: specific measurements (and sometimes weights), parchment-lined pans, unsalted butter. One of those rules that pops up every once in a while is sifting flour. It’s ...

When it comes to sifting flour, do you sift first and measure or measure and sift? Why do recipes call for the flour mixture to be added alternately with the liquids? These are the two most commonly ...

Q. When a recipe calls for a cup of sifted flour, do you sift before measuring or measure after sifting? A. It depends on the recipe writer, and how well-versed he or she is in recipe writing style.

Accurately measuring ingredients for baking is one of the most important factors in baking, as even a small deviation can ...

Sifting can also be helpful in very wet batters, as “The King Arthur Baking School” explains with regard to its sticky toffee pudding. The more you stir flour with water, the more gluten forms, which ...

Old recipes and cookbooks are time capsules — relics that give you insight into a different era. Sometimes it’s just the type of recipe (so much Jell-O!) or the name of a particular ingredient. Other ...

Sifting flour is an important technique used in baking that keeps batter lump-free. The best part is that you don't need a fancy tool to do it. If your sifter is in the dishwasher, or if you've lost ...