How do all-purpose flour and self-rising differ?

All-purpose flour and self-rising flour are both used for baking, but they differ in their ingredients and how they function:

All-purpose flour:

* Ingredients: Made primarily from wheat with a mix of hard and soft wheat varieties.

* Characteristics: A versatile flour with a moderate protein content (around 10-12%). It can be used for a wide range of recipes, including cakes, cookies, quick breads, and even some savory dishes.

* Additives: None

* Baking powder: Not included. You need to add baking powder separately if a recipe calls for it.

Self-rising flour:

* Ingredients: Made from all-purpose flour with baking powder and salt added.

* Characteristics: Designed to rise on its own, eliminating the need to add separate leavening agents in many recipes.

* Additives: Baking powder and salt. The proportion of these ingredients varies by brand.

* Baking powder: Already included.

Key Differences:

* Leavening: All-purpose flour requires you to add baking powder or other leavening agents separately, while self-rising flour has them already included.

* Salt: Self-rising flour contains salt, while all-purpose flour does not.

* Versatility: All-purpose flour is more versatile because you can control the amount of leavening and salt in your recipes. Self-rising flour can be used for quick breads, biscuits, pancakes, and some other recipes, but it's not as versatile for other types of baking.

When to use which:

* Use all-purpose flour when:

* A recipe requires specific amounts of leavening and salt.

* You're baking items that need a delicate texture, like cakes or cookies.

* You want to control the amount of salt in your recipe.

* Use self-rising flour when:

* A recipe calls for it specifically.

* You're making quick breads, biscuits, or pancakes.

* You're looking for a quick and easy baking solution.

Note: You can substitute all-purpose flour for self-rising flour, but you'll need to add your own baking powder and salt. However, you can't substitute self-rising flour for all-purpose flour without altering the recipe.