self- rising flour

[mgebs]

Just saw a recipe using self-rising flour. I seem to remember there is a simple way to enhance all purpose flour to achieve similar results. Any ideas?

[smtucker]

From the King Arthur site ( http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe... ):

1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

[mgebs]

Thank you all. I want to make the churros in the May issue of Bon Appetit.

[paulj]

I wonder why Bon Appetit uses self-rising flour in this recipe, when they could have just as easily specified the flour, bp, and salt. I gather self-rising is a bit more common in the UK, and a few regions of the US, but baking powder is also universally used. Nor is there anything distinctively Spanish about using self-rising. In fact, the more authentic Spanish recipes use chow paste (cream-puff dough), not a chemical leavener.

[greygarious]

Paulij, I am also surprised by the BA recipe calling for self-rising. I'd no sooner buy a pre-mixed leavening/flour than a carton of pre-scrambled eggs. The trade-off for a few seconds of time-saving convenience is having to buy and store the duplicate components, which are far more versatile, and cheaper. I'd put self-rising flour, Bisquick, and cake mixes on the same beginner's cooking level, but novice cooks aren't Bon Appetit's target audience.

[Plano Rose]

I use self rising flour, but only for biscuits. As I understand it, flour makers use softer wheat(less gluten) for self rising than they do for all purpose.

[smtucker]

Does replacing the all purpose with a pastry flour work then?

[paulj]

The connection may go the other way as well, that millers use the softer wheat in self rising flour because it is more popular in the SE where biscuits are king. I suspect that if people in the Midwest take a short cut in baking, it is more likely to be the Bisquick route, which has fat added as well.

In the Pacific NW Krusteaz is regional flour mix brand, starting in the 1930s as a pie crust shortcut. Besides all of the more elaborate cake and muffin mixes, they have a basic 'baking mix' which is like Bisquick (which also originated in the 30s), but I don't think they have a self rising flour.

[TimCarroll]

I think some cook books have a conversion table that give you the proportions, I know some of mine do. Better Homes is one, not sure. I'll check mine later if you don't have any.

[Harters]

Baking powder.

[mgebs]

Thanks, Harters, but what are the proportions?

[alanbarnes]

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt