How to make your own flour at home - as some struggle to find it in shops

While the UK remains on lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, people are finding different ways to pass the time.

Some are learning new languages, others are binge watching Netflix shows such as Tiger King.

And then there are those who just want to keep on baking.

If you've had the urge to whip up a loaf of bread or make a cake, you might have been able to do so with ingredients in your cupboard.

But a number of people have been claiming that they've struggled to find any flour in their local supermarket when they've gone out to do their essential shop.

If you've not been able to purchase any flour, don't worry, it turns out there's a simple way you can make your own.

And you only need three things to do it.

Here's a look at the items you will be using:

• Grains, rice, dried beans or oats

• A coffee grinder or food processor

• A sieve

There are three main things you need (stock photo) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

So how do you do it?

First you need to work out what exactly you want to use to make your flour. Most flour you buy in the supermarket is made using wheat grains, but according to the experts over at Bread Experience, you can use a number of different things.

They explained: "A wide variety of grains, beans, seeds, and nuts can be ground into flour using your home grain mill. These include: wheat, rye, corn, rice, barley, oats, buckwheat, millet, kamut, quinoa, peas, mung beans, garbanzos, and lentils.

"Raw wheat berries are the hulled whole kernels. You can use these to make home milled flours, or cook or sprout them to make breads. Grains can be white, russet, purple, or amber in color. You can also find Spelt, Kamut, Emmer and Einkorn as whole grains."

You'll need a food processor or coffee grinder to do it (Amazon)

They added: "You can even grind popcorn to use in bread. It provides a very interesting texture and flavor."

Next you need to get your coffee grinder or food processor out and set it up.

Put your main ingredient in there, filling roughly half way, making sure it's dry.

Then grind it on the highest setting, until you have a finely milled flour.

If you are planning to bake with the flour, it's best to mill it right before baking, as fresh flour can spoil quite quickly.

To finish off, take your sieve and sift your flour into a bowl.

Repeat as many times as necessary if you want an even finer flour.

And the leftover bran in the sieve can be kept and used to add a little fibre to bread, smoothies or sprinkled on top of yoghurt for breakfast.

Do you have a cooking hack to share? We want to hear all about it, email courtney.pochin@mirror.co.uk