Answers from Expert: Canadian Living Test Kitchen Staff

It seems as though every country has its favourite flour. The Canadian all-purpose flour is a blend of hard and soft wheat with 19 to 12 per cent protein. My information about British flours is that there are generally two kinds. One is a hard flour -- often called strong flour -- that is well suited for breadbaking because its protein count is between 12 and 14 per cent. Flour sold simply as "flour" is lower in protein count, about 9 per cent, and is suitable for cakes. To achieve our all-purpose flour you may need to do some blending. The British also have a self-raising flour, a blend of flour and baking powder. You may find this a good substitute when making items such as muffins and biscuits/scones. If you're using Canadian recipes, omit the baking powder. Best wishes, Elizabeth Baird