"Dee Randall" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Vox Humana" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Dee Randall" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > >
> > > (replace invalid with org)"

> > > (replace invalid with org)"> wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > > >>flour I suppose. Does anyone know where I could find a list of
what
> > > > >>various baking/cooking ingredients should weigh?
> > > >
> > > > Don't forget "http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/cgi-bin/nut_search.pl".
> > > >
> > > I see on one of the url's given under this subject, it lists 1 lb.
flour
> > as
> > > 4 cups equivalent or measurement.
> > >
> > > The only thing I've found bothersome about "weighing" flour when it
> calls
> > > for a weight measurement of flour in a recipe is that if your
called-for
> > > flour weight, because of many factors, turns out to be way less than
> you
> > > normally would want in order to make your recipe correctly, thus
making
> > > your recipe quite short on flour --- and consequently a failure.
> > >
> > > Now this would present no problem if you were experienced with your
> > recipe,
> > > but it does present this problem when working with a new recipe.
> > >
> >
> > I don't find that to be true. I NEVER measure flour using cups, NEVER.
> My
> > baked goods turn out just fine. I weigh the four, using 120 grams for
> each
> > cup specified in the recipe. It works just fine.
>
> So, for you when a recipe calls for 4 cups, you use 480 grams; and when it
> calls for a pound, you use 454 grams. And the weight of the flour due to
> humidity never enters into the weight of the flour measured?
>
> Thanks,
> Dee
>

That's right. I set the scale for English (pounds/ounces) or metric
(grams/Kg) and weigh the flour just as the recipe specifies. If the recipe
specifies cups of flour I measure out 30 grams for each 1/4 cup of AP flour
or 28 grams for each 1/4 cup of cake flour. One quarter cup is considered a
serving size for flour and those are the respective weights given on the
package label for each type of flour.

Although I might be wrong, it is my conclusion that ambient humidity is an
insignificant factor as it relates to flour in home baking. I keep my flour
tightly closed and generally buy it in 5 pound bags when it is offered at a
deep discount at the store. (I used to buy it in big bags from Costco, but I
find that the small bags are easier to store and cost less per pound when I
can find them on sale.) I doubt the flour could be equilibrated with the
atmosphere. It should have about the same humidity it had when it left the
mill. I doubt that moisture can penetrate very deeply a bag of flour nor is
the surface to volume ratio favorable for rapid dehydration. I think that
the amount of water needed per unit of flour depends almost entirely on the
amount of gluten forming proteins in the flour. These proteins bind with
water. As I mentioned, I don't measure flour when I make bread. I pour out
what I think will be adequate for the amount of bread I am making. I add
the yeast and salt (which I do measure) and then start adding any liquids.
When the dough is just right, I stop. It doesn't matter how much water or
flour I have added. It only matters that the dough is right. For all other
baking, I strictly measure all the ingredients by weight.

I realize that there are probably entire libraries of information on this
subject. If you are running the Wonder Bread bakery using thousands of
pounds of flour in a batch and you have a lab, the exact hydration of your
flour as it comes out of the train car is probably a vital piece of
information. If you are making two, nine inch cake layers, it doesn't seem
to matter. I would suggest that the best way to minimize hydration
variations from batch to batch would be to keep your flour in a tightly
sealed container. However, as I mentioned, I don't think it is much of a
factor. It hasn't been in my experience. Perhaps if you live in the
rainforest or the dessert, keep your flour in a porous container, and don't
use much flour, it may have a more significant fluctuation in humidity.
Maybe Roy can address this. He is the resident expert on ingredients.