I've been trying some favorite baking recipes from my American cookbooks
but I'm now living in France and they don't come out right. Cakes come
out a bit heavy and leaden. I know that French flour is different from
American flour, and I wonder if there's some way to figure out how much
more (or less?) to use. I do have American baking powder, so it's not that.

I think French sugar is coarser than what I'm used to as well. I find it
takes a lot longer to cream butter and sugar if I use standard French
sugar.

"Ellie C" > wrote in message
...
> I've been trying some favorite baking recipes from my American cookbooks
> but I'm now living in France and they don't come out right. Cakes come out
> a bit heavy and leaden. I know that French flour is different from
> American flour, and I wonder if there's some way to figure out how much
> more (or less?) to use. I do have American baking powder, so it's not
> that.
>
> I think French sugar is coarser than what I'm used to as well. I find it
> takes a lot longer to cream butter and sugar if I use standard French
> sugar.
===========

Hmmmm... well, I'm not an expert nor do I play one on TV but my guess is
that the flour you are using is made with 'hard' wheat and what you're
needing (kneading! Ha!) is soft wheat. Unfortunately, I have no idea how or
where you would find what you.... WAIT a Minute... can you get "cake flour"?
That might fix your problems. Also, according to my B H & G New Cook Book -
you can substitute 1 cup Cake Flour with 1 cup of All-Purpose flour MINUS 2
Tablespoons. <shrug> Does that help?

Cyndi

Ellie C > wrote in message >.. .
> I've been trying some favorite baking recipes from my American cookbooks
> but I'm now living in France and they don't come out right. Cakes come
> out a bit heavy and leaden. I know that French flour is different from
> American flour, and I wonder if there's some way to figure out how much
> more (or less?) to use. I do have American baking powder, so it's not that.
>
That is caused by untreated flour, with a higher protein content than
american cake flour.
I do not know what type of American baking powder you are using.
Is it the Calumet or Clabber girl? or Royal baking powder?
They are not the same.The best cakes are made with the former.
Most american recipes are sweet and used lots of liquids.
What particular recipe would you like to adjust?
Please post your reply of in rec. food.baking.
Roy

Roy Basan wrote:

> Ellie C > wrote in message >.. .
>
>>I've been trying some favorite baking recipes from my American cookbooks
>>but I'm now living in France and they don't come out right. Cakes come
>>out a bit heavy and leaden. I know that French flour is different from
>>American flour, and I wonder if there's some way to figure out how much
>>more (or less?) to use. I do have American baking powder, so it's not that.
>>
>
> That is caused by untreated flour, with a higher protein content than
> american cake flour.
> I do not know what type of American baking powder you are using.
> Is it the Calumet or Clabber girl? or Royal baking powder?
> They are not the same.The best cakes are made with the former.
> Most american recipes are sweet and used lots of liquids.
> What particular recipe would you like to adjust?
> Please post your reply of in rec. food.baking.
> Roy

I used Calumet baking powder, just as I had used in the US. Never heard
of Clabber Girl or Royal. I don't have a particular recipe I want to
adjust, I was looking for general guidelines after making a cake last
week and having it come out very heavy and dense. I won't be making this
particular cake again since it's one I typically make for a large crowd
or a special occasion.

Thanks,

Ellie

Ellie C > wrote in message >.. .
> I've been trying some favorite baking recipes from my American cookbooks
> but I'm now living in France and they don't come out right. Cakes come
> out a bit heavy and leaden. I know that French flour is different from
> American flour, and I wonder if there's some way to figure out how much
> more (or less?) to use. I do have American baking powder, so it's not that.
>
That is caused by untreated flour, with a higher protein content than
american cake flour.
I do not know what type of American baking powder you are using.
Is it the Calumet or Clabber girl? or Royal baking powder?
They are not the same.The best cakes are made with the former.
Most american recipes are sweet and used lots of liquids.
What particular recipe would you like to adjust?
Please post your reply of in rec. food.baking.
Roy