BREAD AND PASTRY PRODUCTION

Module 4: WEIGHING AND MEASURING IN BAKING

LESSON DESCRIPTION:

Baking is a science, and it requires all the precision you would expect
when doing a chemical experiment. Your ingredient measurements
have to be precise to get the chemical reactions you need and to score
that perfect, consistent result every time. There's one big difference
between cooking and baking: precision.

Course Objective:

At the end of the module students will be able to.

 Define the Importance of Weighing and Measuring

Success in food preparation depends on using the correct amount of ingredients as stated in the recipe. The only
way to get the correct amount is by measuring or weighing each ingredient. Equipment to measure volume
includes:

 Measuring spoons

 Dry measuring containers

 Liquid measuring containers

Equipment to weigh ingredients is scaled. Scales should be calibrated. Handle scales by the base to maintain
accurate readings.

Types of Scales

Traditional Scales may also be called portion or pound scales. The range of capacity is typically 2 to 50 pounds.
Dials may be fixed (stationary) or adjustable. If the dial is fixed, place the container on the platform and record
the weight of the container before adding ingredients. Electronic Scales - Needs an electric or battery source.
The range of capacity is typically 10 to 50 pounds. The tare button allows you to return the scale to zero weight
after placing the container on the scale. As an option, place the container on the scale before you turn it on and
it will automatically tare to zero.

Measuring Techniques

1. Dry ingredients - spoon or scoop ingredient lightly into spoon or cup, and then level top with a flat surface.

2. Liquid ingredients - fill the measuring container and then place the container on a level surface. Use your
eye to be sure the bottom of the liquid curve (this is called the meniscus) is at the appropriate measure.

Weighing Techniques

1. If a fixed dial, weigh the container you plan to use to weigh food. Use a permanent marker to write the
weight of the container on the bottom of the container so you do not have to do this step again. 2. If an
adjustable dial, place container on the scale, then "tare the scale by moving the dial indicator to the zero marks.
If using an electronic scale, simply press the "tare" button to zero the scale.
Which is Better to Use Measuring or Weighing?

It is more accurate and easier to use a scale to weigh ingredients, especially dry ingredients. Food products vary
in amounts of air, which can affect volume when measured by different people. Follow the recipe carefully to
weigh and measure with precision. Accuracy is very important when weighing ingredients and helps the school
chef produce consistently fabulous foods every time.

WHY IS MEASURING INGREDIENTS ACCURATELY SO IMPORTANT?

Baking IS a science. It relies on chemical reactions happening between your ingredients. Unfortunately, this
means that you can't simply mix up a dollop of this, a pinch of that, a handful of flour and a few eggs, and
expect to get the perfect chewy chocolate chip cookie!

Baking doesn't work like that (unless you have years and years of experience making your favorite cake recipe).
For example, if you add too much butter or not enough flour, your cookies will spread. If you add too much
baking powder, your cakes will taste funny, and will rise rapidly and then sink in the middle. Remember
chemistry class when you were in school? You had all kinds of tools to make sure you had precise
measurements for your experiments. Things might not have gone so well for you if you got your sulphuric acid
measurements incorrect!

In the photo below, all the cakes contain the same basic ingredients,
yet they are clearly not the same. The main difference between them
lies in the amounts and ratios of ingredients used!

DRY MEASURING CUPS VS LIQUID MEASURING CUPS:

Is there a difference between dry measuring cups and liquid measuring

Can you get away with using just one type of measuring cup set? In a
pinch - for certain items like a standard chocolate chip cookie you
definitely can and still have a great result. For more finicky baked
goods measuring properly can be very important and the results can be
very unforgiving if you screw up!

DRY MEASURING CUPS

Dry measuring cups are made to be filled to the rim with a dry ingredient (like flour), and then leveled. Sure,
you could measure a cup of milk in a dry measuring cup, but filling it to the rim and transferring the liquid to
your mixing bowl is awkward to say the least, and you’ll probably spill a little along the way. This is when
liquid measuring cups come in handy.

LIQUID MEASURING CUPS

Liquid measuring cups are usually made with a pouring spout and graduated (with volume marks) for easy and
clear measuring of liquids. The volume marks on liquid measuring cups always fall
well below the pouring spout, making it easier to transfer liquids from cup to bowl. It
also means that measuring a dry ingredient, like flour, isn’t so easy in a liquid
measuring cup because you can’t level the contents.

So, use dry measuring cups for dry ingredients (flour, sugar, etc.), and use liquid
measuring cups for liquid ingredients (milk, water, oil).

BETTER YET, MEASURE YOUR BAKING INGREDIENTS ON A SCALE

The fact is that how you fill your dry measuring cup with sugar or flour will affect
how much of that ingredient you are adding into your mixing bowl, and therefore how
your baked goods turn out. Ideally, you spoon flour and starch ingredients into the
measuring cup before leveling it off.
On the other hand, with brown sugar, you should pack it into the cup measurer like you are getting ready to
build a sand castle. Some people might not know to pack the brown sugar into the measuring cup!

HOW TO USE YOUR KITCHEN SCALE

If you have a digital scale, start by placing a bowl on the platform and “tare” or “zero” it to account for the
weight of the bowl. Then measure your ingredients into that bowl.

If you're using a mechanical (dial) scale, place the bowl on the scale and then make sure that the hand lies at
zero before you begin weighing into the bowl (there should be a dial at the back of the scale that allows you to
adjust the position of the hand).

Measuring Flour Correctly

Flour is particularly problematic because the usual ways of measuring it are notoriously unreliable. If you scoop
the flour straight out of the bag with the measuring cup, you'll wind up with more flour in your cup than if you
spoon it from the bag into the cup.

Also, sifted flour has more air in it, so there's less flour in a cup of sifted flour. With all these variables, a so-
called "cup" of flour could contain anywhere between 100 and 150 grams. So much for precision. On the other
hand, 130 grams is always 130 grams, whether it's scooped, spooned, sifted or whatever. And it doesn't matter
whether it's all-purpose flour, bread flour or cake flour. Grams are grams.

Weighing Is Critical in Baking

In other areas of the culinary arts, this degree of precision is less important. A recipe doesn't fail or succeed
because you used 27 green beans rather than 30. But with baking, you're not just dealing with recipes—you're
working with formulas. Commercial bakers use weights for all the ingredients in their recipes, including eggs,
butter, sugar, salt, and even baking powder and baking soda.

At home, where we don't deal in large quantities, there's no reason to weigh the salt or baking powder—the
amounts are too tiny. Teaspoons and tablespoons are fine for that. But when it comes to flour, using too much
or too little can really affect the recipe, so at the very least, you should weigh your flour.

And that means you're going to want to get yourself a digital scale that can be set to grams, and preferably one
with what's called a "tare" setting, which lets you put a bowl on the scale and then zero it out.

How Much Does a Cup of Flour Weigh?

The main thing you need to know is that a cup of all-purpose flour weighs 125 to 130 grams. The exact weight
will differ across different brands of flour, but if you use 130 grams you'll be all right. So, when the recipe calls
for a cup of flour, just weigh out 130 grams and you'll be all set. Because you never know when someone
creates a recipe how they measured their flour. If they spooned their flour and you scoop, your measurements
will be off. But if the recipe says 130 grams and you use 130 grams, you'll know you're accurate.

-END-
Name: ________________________________ Year & section: _________________

Quiz 4:

ESSAY: Answer the following questions:

 Which is better to use Measuring or Weighing?

● OUTPUT: Individual Evaluation (output): Making a video presentation about proper weighing and
measuring in baking Rubrics Guide:

  Needs Improvement
Poor (2) Good (3) Excellent (4)
(1)
VIDEO QUALITY There is no good The quality of the The quality of the The quality of the
AND CLARITY thing in the presentation is bad presentation is in presentation is in an
presentation. and it is not properly good state and well excellent state and
presented. presented. properly executed.
CONTENT Has no central idea The content lacks a The content is good, The content is well
nor supporting details central idea and does but there are some expressed. It conveys
present in the content. not convey the real unnecessary ideas the real thought of
thought of the topic. present. the topic.
TIME The output was The output was The output was The output was
submitted 3 or more submitted 2 days submitted a day after submitted on or
days after the given after the given due the given due date. before the given due
due date. date. date.