Cake Flour

[obsessedkosherfoodie]

Anyone know of a brand of cake flour which has a reliable kosher certification and is parve? There are only two that I know of, Softassilk and Down's, one became ou-dairy and the other just has a K.

Thanks.

[ferret]

Check with King Arthur, they should have received certification already.

[koshergourmetmart]

I use presto OU-pareve. Go to the OU website http://www.oukosher.org/index.php/pro... and you can look at what other brands are out there

[obsessedkosherfoodie]

Isn't the Presto brand self-rising? I am not looking for self-rising cake flour. The King Arthur cake flour is not certified kosher.

[marissaj]

You may want to check with the CRC, s i called them regarding King Arthur bread flour and they told me flour does not need a hashgachah... king arthur is terrific flour for challa btw.

[queenscook]

I know this question was asked quite a while ago, but I just asked the OU about Softasilk, and was informed that the OU-D is for dairy equipment, so you still may use the that brand flour for desserts to be served AFTER a meat meal.

[obsessedkosherfoodie]

Although Swans Down Cake Flour has just a "K" on it, the five towns vaad allows it to be sold in the local kosher supermarkets!

[larainer]

I just called my Rabbi about Softasilk cake flour, I made some birthday cakes thinking that it was parve; lucky the dinner at the birthday party was not meat. I looked at the ingredients list and it said that some boxes may contain milk. My Rabbi is getting in touch with the OU. I'm upset because I just bought the pans I baked the cakes in and now they might be dairy. So it seem that it is more then just the fact that they make their flour on dairy equipment.

[queenscook]

What is the actual text on the box? Does it say it "may contain milk" in the ingredient listing or in an allergy warning? If the latter, I'm pretty sure it's still OK to assume there really is no milk and it's just a CYA measure.

[larainer]

I tried answering your question last year , :>) but my message didn't go through I hope it works now.
So here is what is listed on the box of "Softasilk enriched Cake Flour Bleached=
INGREDIENTS: Bleached wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid..... under that it says=
contains wheat ingredients.
MAY CONTAIN EGG AND MILK INGREDIENTS.
The thing is how is someone to know what boxes do or don't have milk in it, I'm still waiting for my Rabbi to get some answers for me. I may call the company myself to see if they can help me out. I would hate to have to make my new pans dairy.
I forgot to mention it is DISTRIBUTED BY: The J.M. SMUKER COMPANY, Orrville, OH
44667.
I hope my message goes through and I hope it is helpful.
Larainer

[queenscook]

As I said, that type of notice is generally just a CYA notice. They certainly don't put milk ingredients in SOME boxes, but not all. In addition to asking your Rav, I would suggest you contact the OU yourself, as I did a couple of years ago. (Don't bother with the company; they will likely be the least helpful when you are asking about such specific halacha.) I'm betting on the fact that they (the OU) will tell you that you can assume there is no dairy in the flour. But don't rely on my saying so; contact them (http://www.oukosher.org/index.php/con...).

[Mashgiach]

I checked with the OU and they certify the product as OU-D. It seems that while the product does not contain any dairy ingredients, the production lines are not cleaned well enough for the OU to certify it as pareve. That type of cleaning in a "mix plant" where oils and other "sticky" ingredients are used are difficult to clean. If you used it already it wouldn't make your cake pan dairy, but you shouldn't use the cake flour in pareve or meat pans from this time forward.

[obsessedkosherfoodie]

It is my understanding that the cake would not be cosidered dairy but rather that it could not be eaten together with meat but could be eaten after meat.

[Mashgiach]

Correct. It shouldn't be eaten with actual meat or poultry but it could be served as dessert immediately after the meat.

[queenscook]

Just want to be sure I understand this: Are you saying that the OU said, in these specific terms, that this flour should not be used in pareve or meat pans, or are those your own words?

[Mashgiach]

Yes, this specific flour, labeled OU-D, should not be used in pareve or meat pans. HOWEVER, if it was used already, you do not have to rekasher the pans or throw out the food that was made. All future baking should be done in dairy pans.

[queenscook]

That wasn't my question. I want to know if this is what the OU said, or is it just YOU saying this? For halacha I go to my own Rav, so I'm not asking you what the halacha is; I just want to know what the OU said, "black-on-white." If it was in an email, for instance, can you post the exact email they sent you?

[Mashgiach]

This is the OU answer. If you want more details, email me at [e-mail]

[larainer]

What does CYA measure mean.
LaraineR

[queenscook]

CYA=Cover your a$$; it means a measure to cover oneself legally.