TIP #1 Making a Better Flour Duster
Wasting drifts of flour to roll out biscuits, pie pastry, or pizza dough? Keep a clean, dry cheese shaker (like the kind at a pizza parlor) filled with flour and sprinkle just what you need.
TIP #2 Storing in a Wide-Mouthed Container
The best way to store flour is in a wide-mouthed plastic container with airtight lids. When you need to measure flour, simply dip the cup into the flour and then sweep the overflow back into the container with a butter knife or icing spatula.
TIP #3 Coating Cutters
Recipes for biscuits and cookies often call for dipping the cutter in flour between cuttings. In the test kitchen, we’ve found a way to do this without dirtying an extra bowl. Just fill the cup measure (which is already dirty from measuring flour for the cookies or biscuits) with more flour. As you work, simply dip the cutter into the measuring cup, which is the perfect shape and size.
TIP #4 Storing and Measuring Boxed Flour
Bakers who make cakes infrequently may not have a covered storage container, especially for cake flour. This storage idea not only keeps flour fresh, it makes measuring the flour a less messy chore. Simply transfer the flour from the box to a large, heavy-duty zipper-lock bag, then store it in the original box. When you need some flour, simply lift the bag out of the box and dip the measuring cup right in. Like these? See more quick tips at Cook's Illustrated.
About the Author: America's Test Kitchen
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I like the idea of storing flour in a wide-mouthed container but aren’t you supposed to spoon flour into the cup and level it off. All of the literature I’ve read on flour and baking states that you should use that method because dipping your cup can actually cause you to get too much flour.
Hi calliekays — we actually use the “dip and sweep” method in the test kitchen. For accuracy, nothing beats weighing dry ingredients, but the dip-and-sweep method is also reliable. Dip the measuring cup into the flour or sugar and sweep away excess with a straight-edged object, like the back of a knife.