I have some flour in a storage jar and I can't remember if it is plain or self-raising.! :confused: :confused: :confused: I seem to recall that there is some way of telling, like by mixing it with water and seeing if it bubbles, but... I tried that with some flour that is in a bag still, so I knew it was self-raising, and it didn't bubble. Any clues??

Thanks!

I believe that the self-raising part is a kind of fungi that feeds on sugar and releases carbon dioxide as a waste product. I would suggest water, sugar, and the mixture.

Make a small biscuit, put it in the oven, and see what happens.

Self-raising flour has baking powder in it, and baking powder is cream of tartar and baking soda (bicarbonate of soda/sodium bicarbonate).
So...
Well, that information should be useful somehow, let me see...
Ok, if you mix baking soda with lemon juice or vinegar it should bubble or fizz, so since there is a small amount of baking soda in the self-raising flour is should bubble a little bit. I doubt it would bubble much with such a small amount, but normal flour would just get wet, so it might be enough to tell the difference.

If you have some plain flour and some self-raising flour, you could try comparing the texture by rubbing it between your fingers - the self-raising should feel more soft and silky.

Hope you have a sensitive touch!:)

When a recipe calls for flour do you use SR FLOUR or PLAIN FLOUR.
Thank you

Quote:

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Originally Posted by georgiou

When a recipe calls for flour do you use SR FLOUR or PLAIN FLOUR.
Thank you

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If it is not specified, they mean plain flour.

Self-raising flour is used in recipes where the mixture needs to expand on cooking, e.g.. For cakes/puddings,etc.

What's the recipe for?

Taste it. If the flour tastes slightly salty it is Self Raising. Do a taste test with plain and SR and see the difference

Quote:

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Originally Posted by georgiou

When a recipe calls for flour do you use SR FLOUR or PLAIN FLOUR.
Thank you

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OK My experience has taught me that it will always be plain flour, if it is SR flour that you need then it will ask for it. Another term for plain flour is All Purpose flour.
Hope this helps

Try making Yorkshire puddings, If they stay flat or go stodgy its self raising flour not plain.

I wonder if she figured it out, since she asked the question in February of 2005!! :rolleyes:

She probably bought new flour by now.

Hey I'm doing a science lab about these substances that we don't know what they are. I believe that I have flour. I've done multiple testing for it like I tried looking for its boiling point but it went to a 100.7'c and it started to rise really fast but the substance didn't fully dissolve. Also after letting it sit and cool for 5 minutes its was all slimmy

Make a cupcake mixture with half use plain flour and half self raising and the cupcakes that rise are self raising

Diamond67, that is simply incorrect - do NOT mix flour types.

If the flour is old, (older than a couple of months) I would throw it out... flour does keep well but even so its very cheap

Try using a coffee filter and water