I'm a convert to baking by weight not volume. Am I alone in thinking N.A. Is a little late to the game? Is there any advantage at all to using volume?

fionula
  • Posted by: fionula
  • September 11, 2013
  • 4194 views
  • 12 Comments

12 Comments

Diana B. April 28, 2014
A lot of us are ever hopeful, too, fionula!
 
fionula April 28, 2014
Is it too much to hope for that this site will include weights, at least in the baking recipes? I am ever hopeful even tho I recognize there are difficulties
 
fionula April 28, 2014
I was thrilled to see the article by Alice Medrich about weighing ingredients for baking. Is it too.
 
fionula September 12, 2013
thanks. I should have thought to do that.
 
SeaJambon September 12, 2013
Gotta say - that's a pretty cool list! Hadn't seen it before and really like it; thanks for sharing. BTW: anyone know what "cake enhancer" is? I suspect I could use some... ;)
 
Diana B. September 12, 2013
Here's the weight conversion chart fionula mentions: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe/master-weight-chart.html
 
fionula September 12, 2013
thanks. I should have thought to do that.
 
fionula September 12, 2013
I realize that scoop and level is very common, but it is newer/ different than the method I grew up with. (significantly) So all my family recipes would come out differently in your kitchen.

Weight equivalents are available on King Arthur Flour's site. A short list on the back of my kitchen cupboard door keeps me sane. I still would like to know the author's weights. I realize that on a site like this you get what the 'chef' decides, but in general I think cookbooks need to move on. (some have)
 
Maedl September 12, 2013
I switched to weighing ingredients years ago. It is more accurate, so results are more consistent. I also find it easier to measure using a scale rather than by trying to use cup measures. It doesn't mean tossing out old cookbooks--you just learn what the weight equivalents are and carry on.
 
SeaJambon September 12, 2013
I use both methods, depending on what the recipe requires. While I agree that weighing is generally more accurate and consistent, I have a large bookcase full of cookbooks that use volume measures and I love and cherish way too many recipes in them to toss, and it is way too time consuming to make the conversions myself. Standard baking for dry measures has you fill the cup and then scrape off the top using the back of a knife. Pretty consistent. The only exception is with brown sugar, which must be packed into the cup (not loosely measured). Wet ingredients measure easily.
 
fionula September 11, 2013
Isn't it the problem that cups can be quite different depending on how the author measures? So I never know which cup of flour it is unless I read the whole preface or know the author.
 
Pinch&Swirl September 11, 2013
I also weigh ingredients when I bake. I've had a couple of baking failures when I weighed dry ingredients, but the recipe author clearly used volume measurements when developing the recipe.
 
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