I’ll admit it: Every time a recipe demands that I sift an ingredient like all-purpose flour, I raise my eyebrows. Do I really have to break out an extra tool that’s notoriously tricky to clean? The ...

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 ...

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 ...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. A pillar in both baking and cooking, flour is an age-old essential ingredient for perfecting sauces, cakes, cookies, quiches, pasta, and so ...

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 ...

Ina Garten has no problem with using store-bought ingredients for some recipes or finding a shortcut here and there. For instance, she solved the issue of taking the time and trouble to sift flour but ...

Q: A recent recipe mentioned how to substitute all-purpose flour for cake flour. But it was a bit confusing. How do you substitute flours? A: Not all flours are created equal. All-purpose flour is ...

QUESTION: A recent recipe mentioned how to substitute all-purpose flour for cake flour. But it was a bit confusing. How do you substitute flours? ANSWER: Not all flours are created equal. All-purpose ...