Flour poses a challenge when it comes to measuring by volume. Due to its susceptibility to being compacted or aerated based on handling, the weight per cup can vary significantly, impacting the outcome of your baked goods. There are two primary methods for measuring flour by volume: dipping and spooning.
The Dipping Method
The dipping method, commonly known as “dip and sweep,” is more natural for home bakers. It assumes that most individuals will grab a cup measure, insert it into the flour bag, and scoop out the flour. The force used to scoop out the flour can affect how much ends up in the cup, as well as the level of compaction already present in the flour. Fresh bags of flour may be densely packed, while partially used bags or flour poured into storage bins will have some aeration. This variability means that all-purpose flour can weigh anywhere from four to six ounces per cup. To maintain consistency, Serious Eats typically bases recipe conversions on a five-ounce cup of all-purpose flour.
The Spooning Method
The spooning method involves transferring flour from the bag into a measuring cup using a spoon. While this method may be less intuitive and require more effort, it significantly reduces the risk of compression, resulting in a standard four-and-a-half-ounce cup. Culinary school often teaches this as the most accurate way to measure flour by volume, a practice that will also be reflected in upcoming cookbooks, alongside mass measurements.
The Ideal Approach to Measuring Flour
Initially, the protocol at Serious Eats was to convert mass to volume based on the dipping method, resulting in a five-ounce cup of all-purpose flour. However, as familiarity and expertise grew, a shift towards the method offering more consistent volume measurements was deemed necessary.
The primary recommendation for measuring flour remains using a digital kitchen scale. For those without access to one, the volume measurements for all-purpose flour will be based on the spooning method, with each cup weighing four and a half ounces. Just as brown sugar measurements specify “1 cup, firmly packed,” the method of measuring flour volume will be clearly stated alongside the quantity in recipes.
