My friend and I were chatting about this, that and the other and somehow we ended up talking about baking. Surprising, right?
Anyway, she said “I can’t bake. I try, but it just doesn’t work out.”
I say, “you’re a fantastic cook. But cooking is an art, baking is a science.”
First thing I think of, how do you measure your flour? Do you shove your measuring cup into the bag, or container and scoop it out?
If so, then you compact the flour and use way too much flour. The proper way to put the flour in the measuring cup is to spoon it in and then level it off with a straight edge. Not packed, properly measured.
I tell you this, but if my bag of flour is not full, I’ll jostle the flour to one side of the bag, stick the measuring cup in the open space, then kind of flip the bag over, dumping the flour into the measuring cup. Works the same way as a spoon, but it’s just one less utensil to clean. 🙂 Level it off with a knife.
“Level it off? How do you do that? The line is not at the top of the cup.” Ah!!! Now I see the problem. Using liquid measuring cups when you should be using dry!
It might not matter much when you are measuring white sugar, which is granular. But if you are measuring flour, there is possibly going to be a significant difference in the amount of flour. I’ve read anywhere from10% to 25%. That can make a big difference.
Baking is formulas, you need the right measurements to get the right results. If you are using the wrong tools to measure it might not work out.
If you are using a recipe that has dry measurements ounces or grams, be sure and use a scale. 1 cup of something does not necessarily equal 8 ounces when weighed on a scale. Sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn’t.
I took “Cookery” at St. Benedicts Upper School in Bury St. Edmunds when we lived in England. Every dry ingredient was measured on a scale. I’m talking similar to the “Blind Justice” type of scale. Weights on one side, ingredients on the other! Way before digital scales where common for use at home.
Maybe, that was when my interest in cooking and baking started. Hmmm.
Hey Cecilia,
I ALWAYS use a scale when baking, it’s the only way to know you have the correct amount of flour. Just as you said, baking is a science and you need accuracy to get it just right. I recommend newbies to invest the $10 in a digital scale, you’ll save lots of money in the delicious homemade bread.
Thanks Jhonny! You just want to make certain the recipe is written for use of a scale. Obviously your recipes are! Keep baking that bread…could share your recipe with me?
Great topic, Cid! Wow, I had no idea you got to weigh things the old fashioned way back in the day. A scale sounds like a good idea…if I did more baking! This morning I was converting grams of butter into tablespoons/ounces for a delicious Baked Blueberry French Toast.
We hosted our Canadian whiskey buddies last Monday and I had almost an entire leftover baguette which kept catching my eye. All week I had the thought of Pain Perdue as I let the bread get drier and drier. This morning, I knew I had everything for French toast but didn’t cherish the idea of standing at the stove so I sought out a baked recipe…et voila!
Baked Blueberry French Toast – serves 6
1 loaf bread or baguette (the drier the better), cut into pieces/slices
4 large eggs, whisked
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbs sugar
Topping
1/2 cup oats
4 tbs butter, cubed
2 tbs brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup blueberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter 13 x 9 x 2 pan and line with bread.
Whisk eggs, milk, vanilla and sugar together and pour over bread. Let stand 10 minutes.
By hand, mix together oats, sugar, cinnamon and butter. Sprinkle on top of bread then scatter blueberries on top of all.
Bake 40 minutes. Rest a couple of minutes and serve. Delicious with maple syrup (opened a can of Canadian maple syrup this morning -yum!) and sausage or bacon.
Thanks Julie! The Blueberry French Toast sounds awesome. I’ll have to give it a try!