Suffer from recipe frustration?
Do you find recipes are so confusing, or they don’t work out, but you followed the recipe exactly? And then you start to suffer from recipe frustration? It might not be your fault that the recipe didn’t turn out the way it did. Did you know that different countries have different measurement systems?
I too Suffer from recipe frustration
I found this out by mistake. And I too suffer from recipe frustration while I was trying out a red velvet cupcake recipe a few years ago now. Following the recipe instructions precisely to the recipe but when the cupcakes came out the oven they were flat and crumbly. My cupcake tray was a huge mess with overflowed cake batter, which took a lot of effort to salvage the cupcakes.
So what was the problem, I thought? I traced back through my steps and checked to see if I correctly measured everything and that I didn’t forget any ingredients. I couldn’t find any errors. However, it looked like there was too much moisture or fat or sugar. This would have resulted in the overflow of batter and not the nice risen cupcake dome that I wanted.
While I was doing a Wilton course. The instructor mentioned how Americans measuring cups are different from our Australian metric cups. Then it clicked. It all made sense. I was using the metric measuring cups for the red velvet recipe. When I should have used the imperial measuring cups instead but I was unaware that the measurements cups were different.
Using the Baking measuring practices will end the suffering from recipe frustration
In the baking trade, we always measure ingredients by grams. Measuring in grams will be the exact weight every time. When the recipe isn’t in grams and is measured by volume (e.g. cups, teaspoons, etc.). Mistakes are common because you have loosely filled your cup when it is meant to be packed down. Or you didn’t level the ingredient; all this can make a massive difference to the recipe!
So what is the difference in the measuring cups and teaspoons?
In Australia, we use the metric system. The 1 cup = 250mls, but in the US 1 cup measures at 237mls and the UK cup is 285ml. But in CA and NZ 1 cup is 250mls
What about tablespoons? The Australian tablespoon is 20ml which is four teaspoons. The UK, CA & NZ tablespoon are 15ml, which is three teaspoons. The US tablespoon is similar to the UK measuring at 14.78.
A teaspoon in Australia is 5ml and surprising enough it is the same in CA UK & NZ
Are you confused yet!
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How can you tell where the recipe comes from
How do you know if you have the right recipe for your country and for your measuring utensil? To be honest, this is my struggle too! I will hunt for a recipe that can convert into grams or that are already in grams. Then I know I am safe.
I did notice the UK don’t usually measure in cups but mostly by weight. Whereas in the US the recipes are measured by cups.
I usually find myself converting every ingredient buy weight, all into grams. If using the imperial system, you could measure it into pounds and ounces (oz). Yes, that’s right dry ingredients and wet ingredients.
This is the practice that bakers use to make recipes and read recipes. This way, the recipe comes out precisely the same every time! This also makes it much easier to cost out recipes by having 1 unit of measure instead of fractions of measurements
I like to know the facts, or the “WHY” behind things so if you are interested in this sort of information to keep reading below.
Want to know a little more about the metric system?
France adopted the metric system in 1795. Many of us would be surprised that metrics are or had been used in their country. But many had resisted changing to the metric system and wanted to stay with the imperial.
The US had passed the metric system in 1975, but by 1982 funding was abolished. According to a Wikipedia statement, as of April 2019, 30% of business in the US have switched to the metric system.
The UK had passed the metric system in 1896 but didn’t make it compulsory in 1968. The was a target set up for the metric system to be in place by 1975. Unfortunately, this was met with an anti metrication motion in 1970 and slowed down the conversion target date.
Australia, New Zealand and South Africa had all completed their metrication process by 1980
The UK is now mostly using the metric, but there are some imperial measurements still around though
