Kajikit wrote:

> Sifting serves two purposes - first, it removes any foreign bodies or
> lumps from the flour... and second it incorporates more air into the
> mix to make it lighter. Neither of which is particularly necessary
> nowadays especially if you're using flour straight out of the packet
> and it hasn't been sitting around in a cupboard for years on end. If
> you open a fresh packet of flour it'll be nice and fluffy already.

Yes, a new bag of flour will be nice and fluffy, and if you start
getting really exact about measurement, flour that has been sitting
around in a big bag is likely to be more compact, leading to an
measurement actually having more flour by weight. If the recipe calls
for one cup of sifted flour you are going to get the same amount of
flour by first sifting it.


I am not usually really careful about measuring, except when baking.

Note that some recipes call for using a certain amount of sifted flour,
as opposed to sifting flour with other ingredients, like salt and baking
powder or soda.