Stupid Question Regarding Sifting
Decorating By smashcakes Updated 13 Feb 2007 , 2:58pm by FuturamaFanatic
how do you know when to measure then sift, versus sift, then measure, or do you always do it one way or the other? i think this could be part of my problem sometimes. i always measure then sift. any great bakers out there please advise
I'm going to watch this post myself! Good question.
Unless the recipe says which to do, I guess I don't really know the proper answer.
I generally follow how the recipe was written.
Some say "sift flour onto wax paper" and I assume they mean to measure first, then sift. Same if it says "sift 3 cups of flour".
Once in a while the recipe will say 3 Cups Sifted Flour, and I assume they mean sift first, then measure.
my head is spinning! LOL 
Unless recipe states otherwise.... I measure then sift, however sometimes the pure icing sugar I use has really large lumps/rocks that wont be sifted .....(i have resorted to putting it through a food processor if I think I wont have enough!!! 
) If I get these lumps/ rocks and have to remove them I do re-weigh. That being said generally I just measure and sift and have never had an issue!!! 
I always thought measure then sift, but you got me curious and I looked it up. Here is a link
http://www.baking911.com/howto/sift.htm
Who would have known that sifting ingredients is so particular?
I weigh all my ingredients and then sift. If the recipe doesn't specify I use the weight for the dip and sweep measurement which is 145 grams per cup of AP flour. If the recipe calls for sifted I use that meaurement which I think is about 125 or 130 grams but I am not sure. I keep a spreadsheet of common weights of ingredients on the inside of a cabinet door. It lists the ingredients in alpha order and then the common meaurements' weights for 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 1 cup and 1/3, 2/3. I also write the weights in my cookbooks that only give volume measurements. It is a lot less messy using a scale, I don't have all those dirty measuring cups. I even weigh wet ingredients.
Well, for sure you don't want to drag your measuring cup through the flour - this compacts the flour even more.
If you don't want to sift, at least stir the flour up in the container and then spoon flour into your measuring cups - level with knife (don't shake).
Other opinions on sifting/not sifting:
http://tinyurl.com/24hzyu
http://tinyurl.com/2axhud
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/msift.html
http://www.joyofbaking.com/flour.html
HTH
to answer a question above, I almost always sift my dry ingredients and then whisk or mix the dry ingredients together before adding butter or any liquids.
I just bought an 8 cup sifter with the rotary blades at one of those discount kitchen outlets for about $12. It is stainless steel. If you are a too overly enthusiastic sifter like I am, it does tend to throw the ingredients over the edge. I use one of those bowl covers that looks like a shower cap on the top to keep things from flying out.
Hmm, very interesting....
I always sift my icing sugar before measuring because I buy mine in the large 30lb bags and it always has massive rock chunks. I haven't had any problems that way. The flour I measure htan sift because it usually doesn't have large rock chuncks. If its measured by weight, well then I guess it doesn't matter.
I have just a regular hand sifter, but it fits so nicely into a 4 cup measuring cup that I got at the dollar store.
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