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Why use a scale to measure ingredients?
Using a scale to weigh ingredients, particularly flour, is more accurate than measuring volume. The same amount of flour can have a very different volume depending on how it is stored and scooped. One baker might scoop a 120 gram cup of flour while another baker scoops a 150 gram cup of flour. This is 25% more flour, and it’s not an uncommon difference in cups even with tapping and leveling with a knife.
Both of these jars have 380 grams of whole grain rye flour. The photo on the left was taken just after filling the jar with flour, and the photo on the right was taken after tapping the jar a few times on the table to make the flour settle.
Of course, many people bake amazing bread without scales, and even without volume measurements. They use their senses to gauge the dough consistency. Observation, apprenticeship, and repetition are how baking traditions have been passed down for many generations. However, outside of those close-instruction scenarios, it’s probably easier to learn to follow recipes and get the intended dough consistency if you have a scale.
It is important to note though, that even weighing flour isn’t a perfect measurement solution. Scales don’t account for different humidity levels. High humidity will make the same amount of flour slightly more heavy. Moreover, dough consistency also has to do with the absorbency of the flour, which varies by brand and even by individual wheat harvest from the same farm. Bakers should always use their senses in addition to their tools and recipes.
Why use a scale to measure ingredients?