How can a strainer be used as a sifter?

[christy_c]

I have never made a recipe that called for sifted flour ....so obviously, I know very little about sifters. One of my customers just placed an order & said that she needed a flour sifter & wondered if PC had one. I see that the Strainer can also be used as a sifter, but how does it work? The sifters that I have seen before all have a handle that you turn or pump the flour through, so I'm curious about the Strainer and how it can double as a sifter. Sorry if this is a silly question, but I don't want to suggest a product that won't meet her needs. I know my fellow cheffers can help!

 

[jenniferknapp]

I use the strainer as my flour sifter....that is how my mom used to do it, so that is how I do it, and it works very well!I have a really funny story about sifting things, I have to share - sorry for the hi-jack!My cousin's class was having a party...so each student had to make a different recipe and bring in the cookies. Well my aunt assigned those recipes...and they got in to the party and one mother came over to tell her how difficult hers was! My aunt questioned it...not quite sure what was so hard. Well, the recipe called for 10X sugar, so she sifted something like a lb of sugar 10 times...hehehhe too funny!....and before we had the strainer in our line, I didn't have anything...so I have used the flour & sugar shaker to sift flour = not fun, that thing is so small, but worked in a bind!

 

[BethCooks4U]

I use the strainer as my flour sifter....that is how my mom used to do it, so that is how I do it, and it works very well!


I have a really funny story about sifting things, I have to share - sorry for the hi-jack!

My cousin's class was having a party...so each student had to make a different recipe and bring in the cookies. Well my aunt assigned those recipes...and they got in to the party and one mother came over to tell her how difficult hers was! My aunt questioned it...not quite sure what was so hard. Well, the recipe called for 10X sugar, so she sifted something like a lb of sugar 10 times...hehehhe too funny!

....and before we had the strainer in our line, I didn't have anything...so I have used the flour & sugar shaker to sift flour = not fun, that thing is so small, but worked in a bind!

Cute story! To clarify, I believe she is referring to the Chef's Tool Strainer (and that was what I was going to suggest too!).

 

[pamperedgirl3]

I thought I read somewhere that flour nowadays doesn't really need to be sifted. Does it still? I never sift flour anymore. Although, come to think of it, I don't bake much anymore either!

 

[missyciccolella]

I thought I read somewhere that flour nowadays doesn't really need to be sifted. Does it still? I never sift flour anymore. Although, come to think of it, I don't bake much anymore either!

Yeah, most flour doesn't need to be sifted (make sure it is all purpose as unbleached, cake, etc may need to be sifted).

 

[ShanaSmith]

you can also whisk it to get the air back in before measuring

 

[pchefinski]

The new one that is the strainer/sifter, you just put the flour in it, then gently hit it against the palm of your free hand. The force sifts the flour through the metal screening.

 

[feather18]

Why do you need to sift flour? I have always wondered that..?

 

[jlevernier]

To get air into it making it lighter.

Think of the tip for the cookie press, if the flour is sifted and weighed, or scooped and weighed, you get two different weights of flour. Depending on the recipe, this could be crucial to the end results.

--Jenny L

 

[feather18]

huh, ok thanks!

 

[chefann]

Sifting flour makes the measurement more accurate. This is critical in baking, as your measure of flour can vary by up to 40% between scooping unsifted flour, and spooning sifted flour into the measuring cup.

 

[christy_c]

Oh wow, great information! I feel better knowing I'm not the only one who didn't understand the purpose of sifting flour! LOL

 

[jlevernier]

So Ann,
You basically said the same thing I did. Why does yours sound so much more elegant and clear?

--Jenny L

 

[KellyTheChef]

I don't sift my flour anymore. (Neither does Martha Stewart...he he he!!)

I kind of "stir it up" in the flour canister (since it has probably settled in there) and then spoon it lightly into my measuring cup. Do NOT scoop the entire measuring cup down into the flour...that will PACK the cup and you will be measuring way too much! Then, use the back of a knife to level it off.

One last step, "whisk" all of your dry ingredients together (flour, white sugar, salt, baking powder/soda, etc.) and this will further aireate (sp?) the flour and fully mix in the salt and other "small" amounts of items!

 

[ParishKitchen]

The gospel according to Alton Brown is that flour (and most ingredients) should be measured by weight rather than volume for this very reason. As for sifting, he has said on his show and written in his book that he doesn't use sifters -- he just takes his flour for a spin in the food processor to aerate it.

 

[chefann]

The gospel according to Alton Brown is that flour (and most ingredients) should be measured by weight rather than volume for this very reason. As for sifting, he has said on his show and written in his book that he doesn't use sifters -- he just takes his flour for a spin in the food processor to aerate it.

I Love AB!

Most people don't use a scale to measure their ingredients, though. And most recipes (except his) aren't even written that way. So sifting or aerating with a whisk is an easy way to keep thing accurate. Last year at conference, the Test Kitchen folks included a little demo in their workshop that illustrated this. They measured out 2 cups of flour - one by the "scoop with the cup" method, one by aerating the flour with a whisk, then spooning it into the cup. They then weighed them, and the difference was phenomenal! I think in my workshop the 2 cups weighed 10 and 7 ounces.

So Ann,
You basically said the same thing I did. Why does yours sound so much more elegant and clear?

--Jenny L

I dunno. Had I paid more attention, I wouldn't have stolen your thunder by posting the same thing.

 

[ParishKitchen]

I Love AB!

Most people don't use a scale to measure their ingredients, though. And most recipes (except his) aren't even written that way.

E-yup. That's a big problem I have for a lot of recipes for baked goods. I do try at least to look for recipes that give some indication of whether ingredients are to be sifted before or after measuring (e.g., recipe lists "2 c. flour" then instructs "sift flour with baking soda and baking powder," or recipe calls for "2 c. flour, sifted"). PC recipes tend to be pretty good in this respect.

As for other recipes, though, I like to stick to AB's or look for recipes using baker's percentages. It takes a little initial math effort, but, to quote AB, "your patience will be rewarded."