How to Use Measuring Spoons Accurately
To measure dry ingredients
Dry ingredients like flour, sugar and coffee are best measured by digging the spoon into the ingredient and getting a mounded scoop full. Level the ingredient by scraping the level edge of a knife along the top of the measuring spoon. Do not be tempted to shake the spoon because doing this will cause the contents of the spoon to settle and compress, and may result in an imprecise measurement. In order to measure lumpy ingredients like chopped nuts or grated cheese push them very gently into the spoon until they are about even with the top of it. It's a good idea to measure all of the dry ingredients for a recipe to begin with then go onto the liquids. By doing this the spoons won't get as messy and won't need to be cleaned as much between measuring each ingredient.
To measure liquid ingredients
Liquid ingredients like olive oil, water and vinegar should be poured straight into the spoon up until the liquid is level with the top of the spoon. Try to get the liquid as near the top of the spoon as practical; a precise measurement is really essential for measuring water in dishes which contain yeast. Occasionally a little more of the liquid goes into the spoon than expected so it is always best to measure a liquid ingredient far from the dish it will be included in. By doing this if some of the liquid overflows the side of the spoon it can't get included in the other ingredients inadvertently.
To measure sticky ingredients.
Honey and molasses or other syrupy ingredients like peanut butter can be difficult to deal with, particularly in small quantities. Their stickiness means they refuse to shift from the spoon. One technique to get around this is to coat the inside of the spoon with a tiny bit of oil - a spray from an oil sprayer is excellent for this - and then dig inside the syrupy ingredient. Level the ingredient off using the straight edge of a knife. The layer of oil on the spoon should then make it quick and straightforward to get the ingredient out of the spoon; a couple of sharp taps is all it normally takes. It's a really good idea to measure the sticky ingredients in a recipe last to avoid having to keep rinsing the spoons between ingredients.
Follow these practical ideas and you will consistently measure the appropriate amounts of small quantity ingredients.
Dry ingredients like flour, sugar and coffee are best measured by digging the spoon into the ingredient and getting a mounded scoop full. Level the ingredient by scraping the level edge of a knife along the top of the measuring spoon. Do not be tempted to shake the spoon because doing this will cause the contents of the spoon to settle and compress, and may result in an imprecise measurement. In order to measure lumpy ingredients like chopped nuts or grated cheese push them very gently into the spoon until they are about even with the top of it. It's a good idea to measure all of the dry ingredients for a recipe to begin with then go onto the liquids. By doing this the spoons won't get as messy and won't need to be cleaned as much between measuring each ingredient.
To measure liquid ingredients
Liquid ingredients like olive oil, water and vinegar should be poured straight into the spoon up until the liquid is level with the top of the spoon. Try to get the liquid as near the top of the spoon as practical; a precise measurement is really essential for measuring water in dishes which contain yeast. Occasionally a little more of the liquid goes into the spoon than expected so it is always best to measure a liquid ingredient far from the dish it will be included in. By doing this if some of the liquid overflows the side of the spoon it can't get included in the other ingredients inadvertently.
To measure sticky ingredients.
Honey and molasses or other syrupy ingredients like peanut butter can be difficult to deal with, particularly in small quantities. Their stickiness means they refuse to shift from the spoon. One technique to get around this is to coat the inside of the spoon with a tiny bit of oil - a spray from an oil sprayer is excellent for this - and then dig inside the syrupy ingredient. Level the ingredient off using the straight edge of a knife. The layer of oil on the spoon should then make it quick and straightforward to get the ingredient out of the spoon; a couple of sharp taps is all it normally takes. It's a really good idea to measure the sticky ingredients in a recipe last to avoid having to keep rinsing the spoons between ingredients.
Follow these practical ideas and you will consistently measure the appropriate amounts of small quantity ingredients.
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