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Objective 5

  • Display a knowledge of measuring basics.

After studying information about measuring ingredients, you will identify proper equipment for measuring, define common abbreviations used in listing measurements, and use recipe math to double and half a recipe.

Even when you practice safety and cleanliness in the kitchen and know you are working with a quality recipe, you must still carefully follow the recipe’s directions. An important part of that accuracy is using proper measuring techniques. The next section explains measuring guidelines.

  1. Use only standard measuring cups and spoons. Any recipe you follow has been tested with standard equipment.
  2. Make all measurements level.
  3. In measuring dry ingredients or fats, use standardized cups that nest and hold 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, and 1 cup.
  4. In measuring liquids, use clear liquid measuring cups and check the level of the liquid from eye level. Small amounts of liquids are measured with measuring spoons.

The following are some tips for measuring common ingredients.

White Flour

Most purchased flour is pre-sifted, so if a recipe calls for sifted flour, you can eliminate that step. If flour is measured incorrectly, it is possible to get as many as two to four tablespoons excess flour per cup. Spoon flour carefully into the cup and level it with a metal spatula or other flat edge. If you ever do use a sifter to incorporate air into dry ingredients, do not wash your sifter with soap and water. Sifters are just wiped clean with a clean, dry cloth.

Whole Wheat Flour

Measure as you would white flour-stir, lightly spoon, and level.

Pre-sifted Flour

As its name indicates, pre-sifted flour has already been sifted. If pre-sifted flour has been stored for a long time and has become packed, you may need to stir it before you lightly spoon it into a measuring cup and level it.

Granulated White Sugar

Fill the cup to overflowing and level with a straight spatula or the straight, back end of a butter knife.

Confectioner’s Sugar (also known as powdered sugar)

If lumpy, sift or press through a sieve before measuring. Spoon sugar lightly into cup and level.

Brown Sugar

Spoon into cup and pack tightly, leveling off to finish. Brown sugar should hold the shape of the cup when it’s dumped.

Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Spices, Salt, and Similar Ingredients

Dip the dry measuring spoon into the ingredient. It should come out heaped. Level it off with a spatula or other straight edge.

Liquids

Pour liquid into a liquid measuring cup to the correct mark. Check at eye level.

Solid Fats

Use dry, nested measuring cups for solid fats such as shortening and peanut butter. Pack the fat in so there are no air spaces, then level with a spatula. For easier clean-up, you can first line the cup with a slightly larger piece of plastic wrap. To remove the ingredient, simply pull on the edges of the plastic wrap and dump the ingredient into a bowl. Discard plastic wrap. The water displacement method may also be used for measuring less than one cup of fat. For example, if the recipe calls for 1/4 cup fat, fill a liquid measuring cup with water to read 3/4 cup, then add fat until the water reads 1 cup. Carefully drain off the water. Use a rubber scraper to remove the fat from the cup. Use tablespoons if less than 1/4 cup is needed.

Thick Liquids

Pour the liquid into a liquid measuring cup or spoon. Do not dip measuring spoons or cups into thick liquids, because a large amount will stick to the outer sides of the cup, resulting in over measurement. Spraying the liquid measuring cup with cooking spray before measuring can keep product from sticking to measuring tool.

How to Half an Egg

Occasionally, if you half a recipe, you will need to also half an egg. To do this, crack the egg into a liquid measuring cup. Lightly beat the egg with a fork and measure the amount of egg in the cup (it is usually 1/4 cup in volume). Remove half of the volume (usually 2 tablespoons). The remainder can be discarded or covered in the refrigerator for use in pancakes, omelets, etc. Use it quickly, however.

Reading Assignment

  • Betty Crocker's Cookbook: Read page(s) listed under heading "Measuring" in the Index at the back of the book.
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