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How long can you keep bread flour before using it?

Updated: 10/6/2023
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Sheila2408

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14y ago

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We keep flour in storage for long periods in a dry sealed area. Bread flour will last at least three years if kept dry. We just store in the paper bags the flour comes in these bags have a plastic mid lining to prevent moisture penetrating the inner storage area. We make our own bread and have been told that if the flour is very old then adding more yeast to the bread mixture will help make the loaf as normal. Today (26.9.09) we made a loaf of bread from flour that was stored in June 2006 and it was perfect.

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14y ago
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14y ago

At least a year. Flour usually has a "use by" date, but if you refrigerate it unopened in the original package, it will last many months beyond that. You can extend it even further by putting it in a plastic zip-lock bag and sucking all the air out with a straw (or use a commercial vacuum sealer). Your refrigerator actually has a lot of microbes in it from other foods, and the traditional paper that they wrap flour in really isn't a great barrier to hungry microbes. But if the unopened flour package is sealed in a plastic bag with the air removed, you're looking at a bag of flour that you use to can make your children's retirement cakes.

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12y ago

Kept in a cool dry place, cake flour can be stored usually a month, however I wouldn't suggest trying any longer than that. Cake flour is a lighter flour that contains a leavening agent (usually cornstarch) over time cornstarch will lose it's effectiveness and become stale. I had some cake flour that I kept for a few months and when I did use it the results were just disappointing. However this is from personal experience and opinion. I generally do not buy cake flour anymore as it is easily made from plain flour. To make your own "cake flour" for every one cup of flour (plain) remove 1/8 of a cup and replace it with equal parts cornstarch, sift together several times (usually five will do).

In other words to make two cups of cake flour use:

1 3/4 cup plain flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

Sift together until well blended and light.

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14y ago

If stored properly, it can last for 2 years.

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12y ago

Easily several years, it depends on the brand.

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How long can I keep Bread flour before using it?

you have to throw the flour away after a year.


Why do you use flour and eggs when you bread?

The flour has more gluten in it and is needed for the bread to rise. Eggs are not often used, most of the bread that you buy in the store does NOT have eggs. Bread that does have egg in it, may have it to help bind the flour and other parts together, but is likely to have egg primarily for flavor purposes. With yeast bread, the gluten that forms usually means that the bread does not need egg to keep it together.


Do you add salt to bread flour?

Yes. Bread flour has no salt in it, and the salt actually serves two purposes in bread making. One is for flavor, of course, and the other function it serves is to help keep the yeast in check. In other words, it prevents the yeast from overdeveloping.


Why is flour used in bread?

Bread flour has a higher gluten content than all-purpose (or cake) flour. Gluten is what creates structure in wheat flour and while all wheat flours contain gluten, the higher percentage of gluten in bread flour will create a more rigid structure, lending to a chewier, tougher crumb and texture.


Substitute corn starch for flour?

Numerous other types of wheat flour may be substituted for all purpose flour, particularly cake flour, unbleached flour and bread flour. Self-rising flour may be substituted for all purpose flour if the amounts of baking powder, baking soda and salt are adjusted. Bread flour contains higher amounts of protein than cake flour. This is because high protein content helps to keep bread dough from falling, but is less desirable for cakes because it tends to add a degree of toughness. All-purpose flour has protein levels that fall somewhere between the two, resulting in a compromise that will work for cakes or bread, but not optimally for either. So if you are making a substitution for all-purpose flour, use bread flour for bread and cake flour for cakes, pastries, etc.


What year did flour originate?

We have no idea, it is so ancient. Flour predates history. In other words, people have been using it since before they could keep records. Ground grain was among the first ways people learned to keep food so they wouldn't have to forage all winter.


Why did they start using bread boxes?

because they wanted to keep the bugs away.


Can you use bread flour in stead of cake flour to make banana bread?

Any wheat flour should work. If you use all whole- wheat flour, you will end up with a heavier bread which is also a bit more crumbly. Other flours such as rice flour don't contain gluten, which is what allows bread to rise and have the texture it does. The gluten forms strands trap air and cause the bread to rise.


How can you rise bread at sea level?

Just make sure your yeast is alive before you mix it with the flour and keep the dough in a warm moist place while allowing it to rise. It may take a little longer than the recipe calls for but be patient.


How is bread kept fresh?

You can keep it in the freezer and when ready to eat take out a day before.


What is a substitute for sprinkling cornmeal on a bread pan?

The cornmeal is meant to keep the bread from sticking and to make the bottom crust crunchier. You can use plain flour or parchment paper to prevent sticking, but it just won't be quite as crunchy.


How can cassava tubers be preserve for some days before using them for flour?

# Wash the cassava tuber with clean water. # Keep it covered with clean water. # Change the water used every six hours.