Using the food scale

[Mare749]

Yes, Santa did remember my request and delivered a beautiful Salter food scale. I keep looking at it thinking how pretty it is, but haven't used it yet!

So, my question is this. Where do you get baking recipes that require weighing the ingredients? Guess you can all tell I'm dying to play with this!

Maryann

[cjs]

Maryann - You'll be surprised leafing thru your cookbooks, how many give both weight/measure in the ingredient lists. Most cookbooks by professional chefs will give this info.

Also, here's a list I posted for Billy (and others) a couple months ago - maybe this will get you started.

O.K. Billy- you asked for it. I'm going to try and post this bugger, don't know if I can and keep the columns where they belong.... (they didn't so will give an example in each section - maybe this will help.

Cup = Oz
FLOUR
Bread - (sifted):
1/4 cup = 1 1/4 oz.
1/3 - 1 3/4
1/2 - 2 1/2
3/4 - 3 3/4
1 - 5

All-purpose-unsifted:
1 T. = 1/4 oz.
1/4 = 1 1/4
1/3 -1 1/2
1/2 - 2 1/2
2/3 - 3 1/4
3/4 - 3 1/2
1 - 5

All-purpose-sifted:
1/4 c = 1 oz
1/3 = 1 1/4
1/2 = 2
2/3 = 2 3/4
3/4 = 3
1 = 4

WholeWheat unsifted:
1/4 cup = 1 1/2 oz.
1/3 = 1 3/4
1/2 = 2 3/4
2/3 = 3 3/4
3/4 = 4
1 = 5 1/2

WholeWheat-sifted:
1/4 = 1 1/4
1/3 = 1 1/2
1/2 = 2 1/4
2/3 = 3
3/4 = 3 1/4
1 = 4 1/2

Tom.Sauce:
1 T. = 1/2
1/4 2 1/4


Cake - unsifted:
1/4 1
1/3 1 1/4
1/2 2
2/3 2 3/4
3/4 3
1 4


Cake - sifted:
1/4 1
1/3 1 1/4
1/2 1 3/4
2/3 2 1/4
3/4 2 1/2
1 3 1/2

Cornmeal:
1/4 1
1/3 1 1/4
1/2 2
2/3 2 1/2
3/4 3
1 4

Cornstarch:
1 T. 1/4
1/4 1
1/3 1 1/4
1/2 2
2/3 2 1/2
3/4 3
1 4

Granulated Sugar:
1 T. 1/2
1/4 1 3/4
1/3 2 1/4
1/2 3 1/2
2/3 4 1/2
3/4 5 1/4
1 7





Brown Sugar:
1 T. 1/2
1/4 2
1/3 2 1/2
1/2 4
2/3 8 1/2
3/4 6
1 8

Powder Sugar:
1 T. 1/4
1/4 1
1/3 1 1/4
1/2 2
2/3 2 1/2
3/4 3
1 4

Honey:
1 T. 3/4
1/4 3
1/3 4
1/2 6
2/3 8
3/4 9
1 12



Corn Syrup: (dark/light)
1 T. 3/4
1/4 3
1/3 4
1/2 6
2/3 8
3/4 9
1 12

Yeast:
2 1/4 tsp. 1/4

Herbs:
1/2 tsp. 3/4
1 tsp 1 1/2




Long Grain Rice:
1 7.4

Butter:
1 lb. = 2 cups = 16 oz.
1/2 = 1 cup = 8 oz.
1/4 = 1/2 cup = 4 oz.
1/8(4 T.) = 1/4 cup = 2 oz.
2 T. = 1/8 cup = 1 oz.
1/3 cup = 2.1


Well, they didn't stay where they belonged, so don't think this will help anyone who is confused to start with.

[Half_Baked]

I am selfishly coveting your scale but it makes me feel greedy since I had a lovely Christmas.

With grams, weighing is so much more accurate and I imagine would knock out measuring cups and maybe spoons so there would be less clean up.

[Mare749]

Jean, I was hoping you were on today and would see this. I thank you for the weights and measures you posted. I had copied that at the time you posted it, but was wondering if that's how you bake all the time. If a recipe calls for 1 cup of flour, do you measure out 4 oz. in your bowl? It seems to me that would be pretty easy, guess I was just afraid to try it. Oh, and I do understand your columns just fine.

Maryann

[cjs]

Check the list Maryann! 1 cup unsifted all purpose flour is 5 oz. and 1 cup SIFTED all purpose flour is 4 oz.

But, yes I do normally use weights and it's surprising how fast you'll have them memorized so you don't even need to check the chart. I just keep the chart taped to the inside of a cupboard door for the ones I don't use very often.

If you use the 'tare' feature between each addition, you can just keep adding to the same bowl.

[Mare749]

Okay Jean, I got it now. Something I'll have to watch when I'm baking or I'll really screw up. I put all your notes on one page and printed it out, then taped it to the inside of the cabinet for easy reference. I was a little flustered earlier because the scale is so sensitive that any movement changes the reading and that was confusing me. But we got it figured out now and I'm all set. I think I'm really going to like this. Thanks for all your help.

Maryann

[pjcooks]

Jean I was all set to jump on this but you beat me to it, I was going to copy your list, thanks again for that.

Maryanne, I love my scale. My favorite dinner roll recipe requires weighing and it can't be beat.

Have fun! Glad Santa was good to you!

PJ

[DFen911]

PJ same here!! I made a batch for Christmas Eve and Christmas day Weight is the way to go in baking.

[Mare749]

Jan, I was thinking, there is always the next holiday whether that happens to be your birthday, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, etc. Don't be afraid to drop hints, the family is usually grateful because they never know what to buy us. My family knows I have a passion for kitchen stuff so it's okay to buy me something like that.

Maryann

[bjcotton]

To heck with the hints Jan, go out and buy it yourself and then tell the Mr. HB, "See what you got me! That was so sweet of you and it's just what I wanted!" It took me a while to get used to the scale changing when I moved my hand real fast near it. It will actually measure the pressure of the air. I've learned to move slowly when using it. Comes in handy for weighing the Priority Mail boxes too