Is all purpose flour the same as plain flour?

Yes, in most cases, all-purpose flour and plain flour are essentially the same thing.

Here's a breakdown:

* All-purpose flour is the standard flour used in American baking. It's a blend of hard and soft wheat, giving it a moderate protein content (around 10-12%).

* Plain flour is the standard flour used in British baking. It's similar to all-purpose flour, also containing a moderate protein content.

Key Differences:

* Protein Content: All-purpose flour can have a slightly higher protein content than plain flour, but the difference is usually minor.

* Labeling: The term "all-purpose" is more common in the US, while "plain" is more common in the UK and other Commonwealth countries.

In practice:

* You can generally substitute all-purpose flour for plain flour and vice versa without significant issues in most recipes.

* If you're concerned about gluten development (for example, in yeast breads), you might want to consider using a "bread flour" which has a higher protein content.

So, while there are subtle differences, all-purpose and plain flour are essentially interchangeable for most baking needs.