If recipe calls for sifted flour and I am using unsifted flour how should I adjust my recipe?

Question

should I sift before measuring or after measuring??

Answer 1

It depends on how the recipe is worded. If it calls for:
2 cups sifted flour...Sift it before measuring it.

If it calls for:
2 cups flour, sifted...Sift it after you measure it.

That is the standard for recipes and has been for many years.

If you don't have a sifter, aerate it with a wire wisk, food processor, putting it through a fine mesh strainer, or by fluffing it with a couple forks.

Answer 2

You would want to sift after since sifting makes the flour fluffy and there would appear to be more. Sifting only breaks up lumps and fluffs the flour. If you really want you could put it in a blender after measuring and give it a whirl or 2 (pretty much the same effect as sifting). just keep the blender lid on tightly- no need to have a flour dust cloud all over your kitchen.

Answer 3

This technique makes up for not having a sifter - Take a spoon and "fluff" the flour, then carefully place spoonfuls of flour in the measuring cup. Put it in carefully and DO NOT pack it. You'll have to do it several times to fill a cup - or however much you need.
It gets out the huge lumps and keeps the airiness in the flour so that it's not so heavily packed.

BTW, Sifting is always done before measuring.

Answer 4

Sift FIRST,,,then measure. Look at this as a comparison.

Look at granulated sugar (unsifted flour) and then look at powered sugar (sifted flour). If a recipe called for 1 cup of powered sugar and you subbed with one cup of granulated sugar, then processed down to powered sugar form you would have more then the one cup called for.

Now if you have to adjust your recipe by using unsifted flour, I would highly suggest using less then called for or your gonna have alot more flour then you need in the recipe.

Hope this helps you some.

Answer 5

Sift the flour. You should always sift flour before you measure it, if you dont, the flour is pack together and you actually get more than you need.

Answer 6

Sift flour after measuring, you are using sifted flour so no adjustment in recipe.

Answer 7

Buy a sifter and sift the flour. Oh and yes sift before measuring.

Answer 8

i usually measure first and then sift. the only reason you are sifting is to let more air into the flour.

Answer 9

It really shouldn't make much difference when you measure it, but be sure to sift since it makes a difference in the texture of what you are making.

Answer 10

Sifted flour is nothing different to self raising or plain flour! Its merely flour that has been passed through a sieve before use - introduces air and breaks up any lumps. Sift as you add it to your receipe!