Metric liquid measures

[JustJoel]

It is stresses by food writers and chefs that weighing ingredients is so very important, especially in baking (even though in their own recipes they will, more often than not, use volume measurements). I like weighing my ingredients when baking. It insures consistent results and fewer disasters. And when I do weigh, I use metric, just because the math is easier.

I’m confused though. Why do recipes that include metric weights tend to give liquid amounts in milliliters? Aren’t milliliters and liters volume measurements? A liter of milk is sure to weigh less than a liter of heavy cream and more than a liter of water. Is this the same as say, a bread recipe that measures the dry ingredients in ounces but allows for volume measurements for the ingredients that are relatively small?

If I’m weighing my ingredients, I like to weigh them all, down to the two teaspoons of salt and the tablespoon of honey. When a recipe expresses these scant but important ingredients by volume, I convert the measurements to weight, especially if I’m doubling or halving the recipe.

When a recipe calls for four ml of balsamic vinegar, can I assume that 4 grams is more or less equivalent, or should I google “milliliters to grams; vinegar.”

 

[buckytom]

Usually, a measurement of a liquid in metric is in terms of liters, but smaller amounts can be of size cubed, such as cubic centimeters.

It is flexible due to the scale of things that are measured, plus temperatures, pressures, and so on.

 

[roadfix]

Most packaged dry goods are sold by weight and liquids by volume, regardless of metric or standard. Perhaps that has something to do with it...?

 

[jennyema]

I’m confused though. Why do recipes that include metric weights tend to give liquid amounts in milliliters? Aren’t milliliters and liters volume measurements?

Yes. Solids are measured by weight. Liquids are measured by volume. So your recipe makes prefect sense.

A liter of milk is sure to weigh less than a liter of heavy cream ”

Actually, you have that backwards. Fat is lighter than water.

But your point good.

 

[GotGarlic]

Print this out and tape it to the inside of your cupboard.

http://www.moderndomestic.com/2011/01/baking-math-common-baking-ingredient-weights/

 

[jennyema]

Print this out and tape it to the inside of your cupboard.

Baking Math: Common Baking Ingredient Weights | ModernDomestic

Fabulous resource! Thanks!

 

[GotGarlic]

Fabulous resource! Thanks!

You're welcome [emoji2]

 

[Mad Cook]

Over here we always cook in metric measures and never (well, very rarely) in cups.

The secret with anything liquid - water, wine, milk, cream, etc.- is to use a measuring jug made for liquids. You don't weigh liquids. Don't worry about converting metric liquids to cup measurements. If you are dealing with dry ingredients or solid fats, etc., you weigh those (sometimes melted butter is give in measuring spoonsful but don't let that worry you)

In the "old" days over here recipes were written in ounces so a recipe might say 8 ounces of flour, butter or sugar but 4 fluid ounces of water, milk, etc., Fluid ounces being fractionally different to dry ounces but it didn't matter because the jugs for measuring the liquids took this into account. If melted, butter or other fats are often measured as liquids but if solid (and that includes soft fats) they were weighed on scales. Nowadays we still do the same but with new recipes the measuring is in metric units.


**If the recipe you are using is a British one and it asks for a pint or a half or a quarter of a pint please remember that an Imperial (ie British )pint is 20 fluid ounces whereas a US pint is still 16 ounces.**

Baking with weighed ingredients is a great way of practising basic maths with young children.

It's that saying again - "Two countries divided by a common language"!

 

[Mad Cook]

<<When a recipe calls for four ml of balsamic vinegar, can I assume that 4 grams is more or less equivalent, or should I google “milliliters to grams; vinegar.”>>

No, you reach for the (metric) measuring jug or the relevant sized spoon.

(There isn't the faint chance that you might just be teasing us with this thread, is there?)

 

[taxlady]

Print this out and tape it to the inside of your cupboard.

Baking Math: Common Baking Ingredient Weights | ModernDomestic

Thank you. I have bookmarked it.

Here's another one. It's laid out a little differently and has rolled oats. Good to have them both.
Cup to Gram Conversions Dish | Allrecipes

 

[taxlady]

Actually, when baking using ratios, it's all by weight, even the liquids.

 

[JustJoel]

Fabulous resource! Thanks!

Great resource. Comprensive. Much obliged!

 

[JustJoel]

<<When a recipe calls for four ml of balsamic vinegar, can I assume that 4 grams is more or less equivalent, or should I google “milliliters to grams; vinegar.”>>

No, you reach for the (metric) measuring jug or the relevant sized spoon.

(There isn't the faint chance that you might just be teasing us with this thread, is there?)

No chance at all! But I can see where you might think that.

 

[RPCookin]

If a recipe calls for liquid measures by volume, then that's what I use. Unlike most dry ingredients, liquids can't be packed tightly or loosely to change the actual mass of the substance within a container. One cup (8 fluid ounces) of water will always be the same weight, while while the weight of a cup of flour can vary significantly. (actually changes in humidity can change the weight of flour too, so there is that to consider. I live in a semi arid climate on the Colorado prairie, so I don't have to deal with that.)

I have several bread recipes that specify by weight only the major dry ingredients. Smaller quantities of dry (yeast and salt most typically) and all liquids are by volume. I have others which specify the flour and water by weight, but still do teaspoons and tablespoons for smaller quantities of salt or sugar or herbs or other flavorings. The most critical ratio in baking is typically the hydration of the main dry ingredients, and for a home cook, those are the only ones that really need to be weighed.

Cooks have been baking bread for a really long time, since long before anybody thought that weighing, or even measuring was needed. For may centuries it was done by learning how the dough is supposed to look and feel when you are working it, and that mostly came from training and experience. It's still a good measure, and many bread recipes still specify dough as "wet" or "elastic" or "just until the bowl cleans" - terms which do rely on some experience, or maybe when starting out, just a guesstimate and a prayer.