Flour

Looks like nobody answered this?

"in general" you should have all ingredients at room temp before starting any baking. Baking times are based on that assumption unless otherwise stated. Sift first, then measure, unless you are measuring by weight. Holds for wheat and white.

If you remove flour from the frig, and then don't use it, make sure it hasn't absorbed moisture from the air while out, or it may mold. If the flour is cold, and the air humid, this is possible. Otherwise, it can move between frig and room, no problem.

Also consider the freezer for storage, especially whole-wheat flour.

Just my $.02

Well from my experience. If I make cakes The flour should be allowed to equilibriate to reach room temperature. before use. Or if not A cold batter will result ine heavier cakes with less volume and inferior eating quality. Take note that baking powder reaction is preferably ( or first )initiated at room temperature so that the reaction rate between the acidulant( monocalcium phosphate, sodium pyrophosphate, sodium aluminum sulfgte etc) with the alkaline gassing salt( sodium bicarbonate ) will take placeproperly. Then further heating( in the baking stage) in later on will improve the rate of reaction . If the condition are cold enough for such reaction to occur. The expansion of the gas nuclei created in the cake battter ( formed as interstices in ingredients as well as by mixing process) will not occur. satisfactorily nor the batter pH will change for a favorable relaxation of the flour protein and the stabilization of colloidal suspension of the other battter components will be hampered. Therefore if the cold flour will result in colder batter you cannot expect a good quality end result.. This is the same with the other ingredients such as eggs and butter that should be equilibated with ambient conditions to faciliate the production of good cakes. Even if you are using the old fashioned/ classical sponge cake with no added baking powder the batter consistency and flow properties is best at room temperature as the expansion of the egg protein/ flour protein/ starch matrix in the batterr is optimum at such condtions to attain consistent cake quality.A cold battter usually result that cakes will burst during baking due to uneven expansion of the batter and the prominent presence of cold spots in it that will enhance such cake eruption defect. On the other hand...... Having flour that is at cool temperature is good for doughmaking if its in the hot summer months and you had difficulty in making a bread dough that should have the right temperature. In this case, I refrigerate my flour for such reason supposing that the avialable water from tap is tepid as well and I do not have enough stock of cold water (or ice cubes) in the fridge. Remember that..... The bottom line in any baking process is that you will be able obtain the cake batter / bread dough of the right temperature (that is important) so as to ensure optimum product quality. Roy

Well from my experience. If I make cakes The flour should be allowed to equilibriate to reach room temperature. before use. Or if not A cold batter will result ine heavier cakes with less volume and inferior eating quality. Take note that baking powder reaction is preferably ( or first )initiated at room temperature so that the reaction rate between the acidulant( monocalcium phosphate, sodium pyrophosphate, sodium aluminum sulfgte etc) with the alkaline gassing salt( sodium bicarbonate ) will take placeproperly. Then further heating( in the baking stage) in later on will improve the rate of reaction . If the condition are cold enough for such reaction to occur. The expansion of the gas nuclei created in the cake battter ( formed as interstices in ingredients as well as by mixing process) will not occur. satisfactorily nor the batter pH will change for a favorable relaxation of the flour protein and the stabilization of colloidal suspension of the other battter components will be hampered. Therefore if the cold flour will result in colder batter you cannot expect a good quality end result.. This is the same with the other ingredients such as eggs and butter that should be equilibated with ambient conditions to faciliate the production of good cakes. Even if you are using the old fashioned/ classical sponge cake with no added baking powder the batter consistency and flow properties is best at room temperature as the expansion of the egg protein/ flour protein/ starch matrix in the batterr is optimum at such condtions to attain consistent cake quality.A cold battter usually result that cakes will burst during baking due to uneven expansion of the batter and the prominent presence of cold spots in it that will enhance such cake eruption defect. On the other hand...... Having flour that is at cool temperature is good for doughmaking if its in the hot summer months and you had difficulty in making a bread dough that should have the right temperature. In this case, I refrigerate my flour for such reason supposing that the avialable water from tap is tepid as well and I do not have enough stock of cold water (or ice cubes) in the fridge. Remember that..... The bottom line in any baking process is that you will be able obtain the cake batter / bread dough of the right temperature (that is important) so as to ensure optimum product quality. Roy