Here’s the cheat code: use pastry flour for delicate recipes. Think shortbread, muffins, pancakes, or cakes. Your cake will be pillowy and soft, almost like it’s apologizing for being so good.
But don’t try it for bread, pizza dough, or bagels. You’ll end up with a sad, flat disc that has the structural integrity of a wet napkin. Trust me—I learned this the hard way, and my bagels looked like deflated inner tubes.
For cookies, it’s a mixed bag (pun intended). You’ll get tender cookies, but they’ll spread more and lack that satisfying chew. If you want a crispy-edged, chewy-center cookie, stick with all-purpose.
