Rose Asks: What is the difference between all purpose flours, self rising flours and bleached and unbleached flours? Sometimes the bag just says flour... I want to start cooking from scratch but I am not sure of what flours I need to use. Thanks...

Jill: Hi, Rose. All purpose, bleached and unbleached flour can all be used interchangeably. The main difference is that unbleached flour has slightly more nutrients in it then the others. All purpose flour is what is used mostly in baking. Some recipes call for cake flour. If you don't have it on hand, it is perfectly OK to substitute 2 tablespoons less per cup of all purpose flour. In other words if the recipe calls for 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. of cake flour then you use 1 cup of all purpose flour.

Self rising flour is flour that already has the salt and leavening mixed into it. A lot of bakers don't like to use it because it can lose it's potency. It is usually not recommended for bread.

If you find a flour in the store that just says "flour", it is generally all purpose flour.

I hope your scratch cooking goes well!

Jill