What's the difference?

Question

Between Selfraising flour and All purpose flour..and why would I use one type and not the other ??

Answer 1

Self-rising or self-raising flour
This is "white" wheat flour or wholemeal flour that is sold premixed with chemical leavening agents
All-purpose or plain flour
This flour is a blended wheat flour with an intermediate gluten level which is marketed as an acceptable compromise for most household baking needs.

Answer 2

Self raising flour has a raising agent added to it, usually used for making cakes, scones or puddings.

All purpose flour (plain flour) is flour without the addition of a raising agent. This flour can be used for any purpose including pastry, sauces, gravy, or you can add a raising agent such as baking powder or yeast, if required.

Self raising can be white or wholemeal.
Plain or All Purpose flour can be white, wholemeal and 'strong' white or wholemeal for breadmaking.

For further information on flour why not take a look at the Flour Advisory Bureau http://www.fabflour.co.uk
.

Answer 3

Self rising flour contains a leavening agent and all purpose flour does not. I believe that the leavening agent is baking powder, but could be wrong on that.

You would use self rising on items that will rise when they are baked. For tortillas, as an example, you would want to use all purpose flour. The same would go for your pie crusts.

The recipes that call for self rising flour would probably call for less baking powder than what is required for all rising, as they are counting on what is in the flour to help out. If you have a cookbook, look in the substitution list.

Use what the recipe calls for and your results will be better. Happy baking!

Answer 4

Self-rising flour has either yeast or baking powder in it (read the bag to see which). You would use it when making bread dough or other dough that needs to rise, that is if you don't want to buy the leavening ingredients separate and add them yourself. All purpose flour is just flour, it's gluten content being between that of a bread flour and a pastry flour. It can be used in place of either, but is too high in its gluten content to be used successfully as a cake flour. Meaning if you use it to make a cake with, then the cake will be heavy (denser).

Answer 5

Self-rising flour has a little baking powder in it, and usually a little salt.

People normally buy one kind or the other. If you use it up quickly, then self-rising flour saves you the bother of buying and storing and measuring out baking powder separately.

I regularly have cake flour and bread flour on hand, and a couple of specialty flours, like light rye and whole wheat. When I make something requiring baking powder, I add the b.p. separately. When I want to make biscuits, I add the fat separately instead of opening up a box of bisquick. When I make pancakes, I mix them up instead of opening a box of Jiffy Mix.

There's no real difference in the foods you can produce, and no real difference in the money you spend. It's all in what you find convenient.

Answer 6

If you are following US recipes, all purpose flour is PLAIN flour. Self raising is self raising.

If you get a lot of US recipes off the web, treat yourself to some cup measures from Lakeland (under £5). Makes brilliant cakes without the weighing!

Answer 7

Self raising flour has a self-raising agent in it already which is used in breads or anything that needs to rise..

I have never heard of All purpose flour but i would say it does exactly what it says on the tin..

Answer 8

Self raising flour has baking agents to help the flour lighten (not rise) during cooking. It is suitable for dumplings, coblers, pizza, and sponge cakes; where there is some absorption of liquid involved, or for a light texture.

Plain flour is suitable for biscuits, pastry, bread (with yeast), and thickening. Usually less liquid asorption, and for a heavier texture.

Answer 9

Self raising powder tends to make the food expand or rise.
Baking powder added to the plain flour will do the same thing.

Answer 10

Self-raising is plain flour plus baking powder on the ratio of 1lb of plain flour + 1oz baking powder.