EQUIVALENT MEASURES
Chefs know how to calculate ingredient amounts and measurements almost instinctively, but for the home cook those kinds of calculations are not always so easy. They can also be worrisome because a misstep in measuring can be costly. Whether your tablespoon measure has disappeared for the moment or you want to halve or double a recipe, this chart will help. Ounce measurements are for liquids only.
3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
4 tablespoons = ¼ cup
5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon = ⅓ cup
8 tablespoons = ½ cup
10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons = ⅔ cup
12 tablespoons = ¾ cup
16 tablespoons = 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces
2 cups = 1 pint = 16 fluid ounces
2 pints = 1 quart = 32 fluid ounces
2 quarts = ½ gallon = 64 fluid ounces
4 quarts = 1 gallon = 128 fluid ounces
METRIC CONVERSIONS
All the recipes in this book have been developed using standard U.S. measures. The following charts are guides for converting standard U.S. measurements to metric measurements. Note that all conversions are approximate.
Volume Conversions
1 teaspoon (U.S.) = 5 milliliters (metric)
2 teaspoons (U.S.) = 10 milliliters (metric)
1 tablespoon (U.S.) = 15 milliliters (metric)
¼ cup (U.S.) = 59 milliliters (metric)
⅓ cup (U.S.) = 79 milliliters (metric)
1 cup (U.S.) = 237 milliliters (metric)
4 cups (1 quart) (U.S.) = 0.946 liter (metric)
1.06 quarts (U.S.) = 1 liter (metric)
4 quarts (1 gallon) (U.S.) = 3.8 liters (metric)
Weight Conversions
1 ounce = 28 grams
4 ounces = 113 grams
8 ounces = 227 grams
16 ounces (1 pound) = 454 grams
CONVERSIONS FOR INGREDIENTS COMMONLY USED IN BAKING
Baking is an exacting science. Because measuring by weight is far more accurate than measuring by volume, it is more likely to achieve reliable results. Refer to the chart below to convert these common measures.
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour* = 5 Ounces = 142 Grams
1 Cup Cake Flour = 4 Ounces = 113 Grams
1 Cup Whole-Wheat Flour = 5 1/2 Ounces = 156 Grams
1 Cup Granulated (white) Sugar = 7 Ounces = 198 Grams
1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar (light or dark) = 7 Ounces = 198 Grams
1 Cup Confectioners' Sugar = 4 Ounces = 113 Grams
1 Cup Cocoa Powder = 3 Ounces = 85 Grams
Butter †
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick, or ¼ cup) = 2 Ounces = 57 Grams
8 Tablespoons (1 stick, or 1/2 cup) = 4 Ounces = 113 Grams
16 Tablespoons (2 sticks, or 1 cup) = 8 Ounces = 227 Grams
* U.S. all-purpose flour does not contain leaveners, as some European flours do. These leavened flours are called self-rising or self-raising. If you are using self-rising flour, take this into consideration before adding leavening to a recipe.
† In the United States, butter is sold both salted and unsalted. We use unsalted butter exclusively in the test kitchen.
It is especially important to use unsalted butter when baking or you risk producing salty baked goods or an inedible buttercream.
Oven Temperatures
225 Fahrenheit = 105 Celcius = ¼ Gas Mark (Imperial)
250 Fahrenheit = 120 Celcius = ½ Gas Mark (Imperial)
275 Fahrenheit = 130 Celcius = 1 Gas Mark (Imperial)
300 Fahrenheit = 150 Celcius = 2 Gas Mark (Imperial)
325 Fahrenheit = 165 Celcius = 3 Gas Mark (Imperial)
350 Fahrenheit = 180 Celcius = 4 Gas Mark (Imperial)
375 Fahrenheit = 190 Celcius = 5 Gas Mark (Imperial)
400 Fahrenheit = 200 Celcius = 6 Gas Mark (Imperial)
425 Fahrenheit = 220 Celcius = 7 Gas Mark (Imperial)
450 Fahrenheit = 230 Celcius = 8 Gas Mark (Imperial)
475 Fahrenheit = 245 Celcius = 9 Gas Mark (Imperial)
CONVERTING TEMPERATURES FROM AN INSTANT-READ THERMOMETER
We include doneness temperatures in many of our recipes, such as those for poultry and meat. We recommend an instant-read thermometer for the job. Refer to the table at left to convert Fahrenheit degrees to Celsius. Or, for temperatures not represented in the chart, use this simple formula:
Subtract 32 degrees from the Fahrenheit reading, then divide the result by 1.8 to find the Celsius reading.
EXAMPLE:
“Roast until chicken thighs register 175 degrees.” To convert:
175°F – 32 = 143°
143° ÷ 1.8 = 79°C (rounded down from 79.44)