KNOW YOUR BASE INGREDIENTS: Flour, Sugar and Salt!

 

Flour, Sugar & Salt – The Base Ingredients

These three ingredients may look simple, but they control the texture, flavour, and structure of your baked goods.

Types of Flour

Cake flour

• Soft and light

• Best for cakes, scones, and Swiss rolls

All-purpose flour

• Middle ground flour

• Works for most recipes

Bread flour

• High protein

• Used for bread and chewy doughs

If you use bread flour in cakes, they will come out tough instead of soft.

Self-Rising Flour

Self-rising flour is simply:

• cake flour
• plus baking powder
• and sometimes a little salt

This means it already contains a leavening agent. If you use self-rising flour in a recipe that already has baking powder, your baked goods may rise too much and collapse.

How Flour Should Be Stored

Flour should be kept:

• in an airtight container
• in a cool, dry place
• away from direct sunlight

This prevents moisture, insects, and clumping.

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Types of Sugar

White Granulated Sugar

• Adds sweetness

• Helps eggs whip properly, giving more stability 

Brown Granulated Sugar

• Contains molasses

• Makes baked goods such as cookies softer and richer in flavour
  
  

Icing Sugar

• Very fine

Used for frostings and dusting

Castor Sugar 

Castor sugar is finer than regular sugar. Because the crystals are smaller:

It dissolves faster

• It works better when whipping eggs or cream
• This is why caster sugar is often used in sponge cakes and meringues.
  

How Sugar Should Be Stored

• Sugar should be stored:

  • in a sealed container
  • in a dry area

  If sugar is exposed to moisture, it can harden and form lumps.

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Why Salt Is Still Important

Even in sweet recipes, salt is added to balance flavour. Without salt, cakes taste flat and overly sweet.