explanations of measuring cups
measuring cups
List of Ingredients
Proper measuring can mean the difference between cooking success and
culinary catastrophe. Too much flour or too little liquid makes cakes,
muffins and biscuits dry. Adding more liquid than called for produces a
runny mess in baked goods and dilutes flavor or throws off balances in
vinaigrettes, marinades and soups, among other things.
One way to alleviate mishaps is to use the proper measuring cups. Dry, or
solid, ingredients should be measured in 1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup and 1/4 cup
vessels (or measuring spoons), and wet ingredients should be measured in a
multicup vessel with a spout and a handle to facilitate pouring. Liquid and
dry measuring cups hold the same volume, but for dry ingredients it's
important to be able to level off the top for the correct measurement. This
can't be done if you are measuring 1 cup of flour in a four-cup container.
It is possible to measure liquids in dry measuring cups but you will likely
spill some on the way to the bowl or pot. To read a liquid measuring cup,
set it on a level surface and look at it at eye level.
For dry ingredients, sturdy handled cups, plastic or metal, are best. Many
recipes call for dry ingredients to be measured by the "dip and sweep"
method. This means that the cup is dipped into the flour (or sugar) and then
the excess is swept off even with the top of the cup, usually by a knife
edge or spatula.Recipe
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