Flour and Sugar questions

[Rom]

I have two questions for all the wise people who are in this forum ,

1) If a recipe says to use "Plain flour and Bi-carb", can you use Self raising flour instead

2) If a recipe calls for Brown sugar what evil and nasty things will happen if i use white sugar?

thanks

 

[DramaQueen]

Plain flour is all purpose flour. Bicarb is baking soda. Stick to plain flour because the baking soda will have an effect of self-rising flour.

Brown sugar is made with molasses, thus giving it it's brown color and rich flavor. You will lose something by not using brown sugar because whatever you are making will not have the rich, depth of flavor you get with brown sugar. It will taste flat. Sometimes it's best not to substitute.

 

[CharlieD]

Also in my experience the brown sugar seems sweeter.

 

[jennyema]

Self rising flour has baking powder and slat in it, so you cannot sub it for plain flour and baking soda ("bi carb").

If you use white sugar your baked goods will have a different taste and texture. Brown sugar has more moisture which makes baked goods chewier.

 

[Rom]

Thanks everyone, it's just that I never buy brown sugar and lately I have been baking stuff and a couple of things said "brown sugar"

hmmm might have to get some new bi carb...not sure how old the one i have is LOL

Thanx again!!!

 

[auzzi]

One thing to remember is that a product in US is not necessarily exactly the same in AU:

1. AU self raising flour is a mixture of wheat flour, wheat starch, aerators [bp]and mineral salt [colourant - usually calcium carbonate, not sodium based]

2. technically speaking: US brown sugar is AU dark brown sugar according to the molasses percentage.

3. If the recipe stipulates self-raising, it's formulated for S/R .. plain flour and baking powder recipes work better if you don't use S/R ..

 

[scottsdale]

Mildly off topic, but...

Is there much of a difference between dark brown sugar and light brown sugar? I see both in the store, but I don't think I've seen a recipe that specifies which to use. Currently I have light brown - is that "good enough"?

 

[Barb L.]

Myself I always use light brown, dark has too much molasses for me.

 

[Andy M.]

Mildly off topic, but...

Is there much of a difference between dark brown sugar and light brown sugar? I see both in the store, but I don't think I've seen a recipe that specifies which to use. Currently I have light brown - is that "good enough"?

Brown sugar is made by adding molasses to white sugar. Dark brown has more molasses than light brown. Dark's flavor will be stronger. Either will work in most recipes.

 

[Rom]

thanks for that auzzi