How to dose the ingredients correctly during baking?

It pays to be a perfectionist when it comes to baking. Learn to measure your baking ingredients correctly so that your next recipe is a success. Let''s focus on something that may seem unimportant to you, but is the most important step of any recipe.

Correct dosing of ingredients is essential. If you have made a cake or two before, I am sure you know that baking does not spare mistakes. Baking is a science and dosing ingredients "by heart" can even spell disaster.

While you can easily save yourself by adding one spice or another when cooking dinner, when baking, the slightest mistake can turn your biscuits into solid stones. Understanding the correct technique for dosing certain ingredients will ensure better baking results. The wrong ingredient can also be to blame for a failed dessert.

1. How do I measure the flour?

Flour is, who would have thought, the most commonly mismeasured ingredient. Whether you use bread flour, cake flour, all-purpose flour or any other flour, use the ''spoon and level'' method . Do not scoop the flour out of the measuring cup/container/bag as you could get 50% more than you need. Instead, spoon the flour into the measuring cup.

If the recipe calls for "100g flour, sifted" - measure the flour first and sift it. If the recipe calls for "100 g flour, sieved" - sieve the flour and then measure. It all depends on where the word ''sifted '' appears in the ingredient text . If''sifted'' precedes the name of the ingredient, sift before measuring. If the word ''sieved'' is after the name of the ingredient, sieve after measuring.

2. How do I add the baking soda and baking powder?

Baking powder and baking soda can settle over time when in containers or sachets waiting to be used. Shake or stir (if you have them in the container) before dosing, then gently remove them from the container. Straighten with a knife.

Always remember the difference between baking powder and baking soda: baking soda is a base and is stronger than baking powder. Remember, however, that both expire after 6 months, although some claim that they start to lose their strength after 3 months.

3. How do I use and dose dry yeast?

Standard yeast packets usually contain 7 g of yeast. If your recipe calls for more or less than one standard packet of yeast, dose the amount of yeast in the same way as you would dose baking powder or baking soda.

4. How do I measure the sugar?

Unlike flour, sugar is measured by spooning into a bowl/bag. Sugar is heavier than flour, so it is less likely to be scooped up too much than it might be when flour is added, due to its structure.

It is also more forgiving than other ingredients in recipes because the sweetness of the final product depends on your taste buds. However, it is always best to measure out the ingredients exactly as stated in the recipe, as the sugar crystals are necessary for the other ingredients to break down. Sugar also helps to ensure proper browning, texture, structure and stabilisation.

5. What about cocoa powder?

Whether you use natural cocoa or Dutch cocoa, measure the cocoa powder with the same spoon and level as the flour and confectioners'' sugar. Like confectioners'' sugar, cocoa powder can harden. If the recipe calls for sifting it, take the time to do so.

And here''s the most important rule: use a kitchen scale to measure out the ingredients.