Yes, you can use self-rising flour instead of plain flour for making bread. However, self-rising flour includes both baking powder and salt, so you’ll need to adjust the recipe to compensate for these added ingredients. Remember that self-rising flour may yield a lighter texture than traditional bread flour.
Traditional Flour Types for Making Breads
All-Purpose Flour
This is the most versatile type of flour as it has a middle-of-the-road protein content (10-12%), making it suitable for most bread recipes that don’t require a specific type of flour. It yields bread with a moderate crumb structure and tenderness.
Bread Flour
With a higher protein content (12-14%), bread flour creates more gluten, resulting in a chewier texture. This flour is ideal for yeast breads like baguettes or pizza dough, where a sturdy but elastic crumb is desired.
Whole Wheat Flour
Whole wheat flour is made from the entire wheat kernel and contains more fiber and nutrients than white flour. It gives a more robust flavor and denser texture to the bread. It’s often mixed with other flour in bread recipes due to its heavier nature.
Rye Flour
Used in traditional bread like pumpernickel, rye flour contributes a distinct, slightly sour flavor and a denser texture. It’s low in gluten, often mixed with high-gluten flours for a lighter texture.
Durum/Semolina Flour
This is a high-protein, high-gluten flour made from durum wheat. It’s traditionally used in pasta but is also excellent for certain types of bread, like Italian-style and artisan bread, offering a sweet, rich flavor and a distinct yellow color.
Bread Recipe with Self-Rising Flour
Ingredients
- 3 cups of self-rising flour
- 1/4 cup of sugar
- 1 1/2 cups of milk
- Optional: 1/4 cup of melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, combine the self-rising flour and sugar. Stir until well mixed.
- Gradually add the milk to the dry mixture and stir until the dough is combined. The dough will be quite sticky.
- Pour the dough into the prepared loaf pan. If you want a buttery crust, you can now pour the melted butter over the top.
- Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool further.
- Slice and serve your bread warm. It’s great with butter or your favorite spread.
Remember, self-rising flour already has mixed salt and leavening agents, so there’s no need to add these separately. Enjoy your homemade bread!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need yeast when using self-rising flour?
You typically don’t need to add yeast when using self-rising flour. Self-rising flour already contains a leavening agent – usually baking powder – which helps the dough rise. It’s used in recipes where a quick rise is needed, as opposed to the slower fermentation process of yeast.
Does self-rising flour taste different than plain flour?
Self-rising flour can taste slightly different from plain flour due to the addition of baking powder and salt. This can give baked goods a subtly distinct flavor compared to those made with plain flour. However, in most recipes, the taste difference is not significant.
Do you need baking soda with self-rising flour?
No, you usually do not need to add baking soda to self-rising flour. Self-rising flour already contains baking powder, carbonate or bicarbonate (like baking soda) and a weak acid. Adding extra baking soda may disrupt the balance and lead to a metallic taste or too much rise.
