Hi all...
Ed Okie's advice here is worth breaking mailing list good form for, and
putting up again, with the added comment: he's right!
Thirty odd years ago, when I had my first bout with bread baking, there
were a lot of things I had to learn - bread flour as against plain flour,
bread improver as against no improver, the use of gluten with rye, the
importance of good stone ground wholemeal, overnight rises...
But even when armed with quite a bit of knowledge and experience, I was
never satisfied with my breads. And I couldn't seem to learn from my
mistakes, as nothing ever repeated. Now though in my 2nd incarnation as a
baker, I can make predictably good loaves, day in day out.
And the difference is: a good set of metric scales! Along with this, the
concept of a 750gm loaf, with about 300ml(grams) of water and 450gm of
flour. With many variations around this norm; but variations with
predictable outcomes.
It sounds altogether too simple, but Ed's right!
Bill
stanfords@optusnet.com.au
>My advice: Those with a moderate interest in baking, make the scale a
>must-buy item. Ironically, scales are rarely mentioned in baking
>discussions. Yes, you absolutely can bake without a scale. But a scale
>pays two big dividends:
>
>1. Simplifies your baking life,
>2. Makes you a better baker.
>
>Accuracy (repeatability in particular) improves greatly. A second bonus:
>measuring cups are eliminated- less things to clean or keep track of. One
>set of 1/8-to-1 tea measuring spoons (for items too small to weigh - salt,
>yeast, etc.) is the only other tool needed.
>
>An equally strong recommendation: change to the metric system - use grams.
>The ounces, pounds and measuring-cup system is a nightmare and
>error-prone. Diane's hydration advice illustrates the pounds-ounces
>stumbling block - a math-conversion nightmare. It becomes worse when trying
>to increase or decrease (in size) a given recipe. When using grams, all
>number-units stay in grams.
>
>In Diane's example: one pound equals 454 grams of flour.
>
>70% (water required) of 454 is 318 grams.
>
>In the mixing bowl (the bowl placed directly on the scale), add 454 grams
>of flour, reset the scale to zero, then pour in 318 grams of
>water. Measuring cups are not used. None.
>
>Scales and the metric system provide another advantage in liquid
>measurement: 1 milli-liter (ml) of water equals 1 gram of weight. There's
>no need to use a graduated cup (many are inaccurate) to measure say, 300 ml
>of water... simply pour 300 grams (weight) into the mixing bowl on the scale.
>
>In comparison: bending down trying to view the 11-ounce line on a measuring
>cup, first figure out which column (of many) is in ounces, also remember
>which side of the liquid's edge is the correct point of measure, and is the
>cup setting on a level counter?
>
>Another advantage of scales: If you wish to make a slight adjustment, say
>66% hydration (a stiffer dough) instead of 70% (which is wetter) ...the
>water added (by weight) is 300 grams (66% of 454), the flour portion
>remains 454 grams.
>
>I suspect we often get too wrapped up in discussions about flours, mixers,
>knives, yeast, etc. Though each has its place, buying a scale provides the
>best value by far. Once you own one you'll wonder how life is possible
>without it!