Why do recipes tell you to sift flour?

Answer by  kiradeleria (465)

Flour tends to become lumpy or form small to large sized clumps when poured from a bag into a bowl. This can create pockets of flour that are not cooked thoroughly. You may want to re-sift pre-sifted flower if it seemed to be clumped together when poured into a bowl.

Answer by  TonyB (341)

Flour used to have particles in it, and it would settle in shipping and storage so it would recquire sifting. Modern flourespecially pre-sifted flour does not need to be sifted, and if you do sift it, the flour loses it's potency and your recipe could be ruined. Newer recipes don't call for sifting.

Answer by  elynne (1153)

my mother used to tell me there were two main reasons to shift. One to break up any clots of flour to make it smooth and to add air.