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Weights & measures

For baking, it pays to invest in a measuring scale. Look for one with the smallest increments possible (e.g. 1g not 5g), to ensure accuracy – which is important in baking.

Buy metal measuring spoons and glass measuring jugs (not plastic ones), because they will hold their shape forever and provide accurate measuring. All spoon measures are level unless otherwise stated. Try to find jugs with lots of increment markings on the side, again for accuracy.

If you don’t have scales, the following charts include conversions from spoon and cup measures to weights.

You’ll find American equivalents and terminology under Cook’s Notes Funny spellings 

 

ABBREVIATIONS
g gram
kg kilogram
oz ounce
lb pound
mm millimetre
cm centimetre
in inch
ml millilitre
L litre
fl oz fluid ounce
tsp teaspoon
dsp dessertspoon
Tbsp tablespoon
GRAMS TO OUNCES AND VICE VERSA
GENERAL   EXACT
30g = 1oz 1oz = 28.35g
60g = 2oz 2oz = 56.70g
90g = 3oz 3oz = 85.05g
120g = 4oz 4oz = 113.04g
150g = 5oz 5oz = 141.08g
180g = 6oz 6oz = 170.01g
210g = 7oz 7oz = 198.04g
230g = 8oz 8oz = 226.08g
260g = 9oz 9oz = 255.01g
290g = 10oz 10oz = 283.05g
320g = 11oz 11oz = 311.08g
350g = 12oz 12oz = 340.02g
380g = 13oz 13oz = 368.05g
410g = 14oz 14oz = 396.09g
440g = 15oz 15oz = 425.02g
470g = 16oz 16oz = 453.06g

Note: I generally base my recipes on the rounded gram values in the ‘general’ column.

However, if you are following an English recipe when making pastry, a cake or baking, and using standard plain flour in New Zealand or Australia, you will most likely need to increase the amount of liquid called for, or to lower the flour quantity slightly, because the flours are milled differently. Antipodean standard flour seems to be drier than those in the UK (the finer the flour, the more liquid it will absorb). As an example, a classic rich shortcrust pastry in the UK is made with 225g (8 oz) plain flour, 170g (6 oz) butter, 1 medium egg yolk and approximately 2 tablespoons of water. In New Zealand the water needs to be increased to 4 tablespoons or the pastry will be too dry and flaky to gather into a ball and will shred when being rolled out and it will be dry to eat.

LIQUID CONVERSIONS
25ml (28.4ml) = 1fl oz
150ml (142ml) = 5fl oz = ¼ pint = 1 gill
275ml (284ml) = 10fl oz = ½ pint
425ml (426ml) = 15fl oz = ¾ pint
575ml (568ml) = 20fl oz = 1 pint    
Note:
450ml (454ml) = 16fl oz = 1 pint (USA)    
225ml (227ml) = 8fl oz = ½ pint (USA)
CUP AND SPOON CONVERSIONS
The metric cup (1 cup = 250ml) is used in most countries outside the USA. 1 tablespoon butter rounded to 15g. Spoon measures are level unless otherwise stated.
SPOON   METRIC
¼ teaspoon = 1.25ml
½ teaspoon = 2.5ml
1 teaspoon = 5ml
1 tablespoon = 15ml
1 tablespoon = 20ml (Australia)
Note:
In NZ, SA, USA and UK 1 tablespoon = 15ml In Australia 1 tablespoon = 20ml

 

CUP   METRIC US METRIC  
1/8 cup = 30ml 30ml
¼ cup = 65ml 60ml
1/3 cup = 85ml 80ml
½ cup = 125ml 120ml
2/3 cup = 170ml 160ml
¾ cup = 190ml 180ml
1 cup = 250ml 240ml
1½ cups = 375ml 360ml
2 cups = 500ml 480ml
4 cups = 1 L 960ml
1 breakfast cup = 10 fl oz
1 teacup = 5 fl oz
1 coffee cup = 3 fl oz
CUP MEASURES FOR ‘DRY’ INGREDIENTS
Note: cup measures for dry ingredients are rounded to the nearest 5g.
           
FLOURS AND SUGARS
         
  ¼ cup 1/3 cup ½ cup 1 cup  
cornflour 35g 50g 70g 140g
standard/self-raising/high-grade flour 35g 45g 70g 140g
caster sugar (super-fine granulated sugar) 55g 75g 110g 220g
granulated 55g 75g 110g 220g
demerara sugar 55g 75g 105g 210g
icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar) 40g 55g 80g 160g
light/soft brown sugar (lightly packed) 40g 55g 80g 160g  
muscovado sugar (light) 25g 50g 75g 150g

 

 

OTHER INGREDIENTS
  ¼ cup 1/3 cup ½ cup 1 cup    
almonds, ground 30g 40g 60g 120g
almonds, blanched (whole) 40g 55g 80g 160g
almonds, slivered 35g 50g 70g 140g
amaretti biscuits 30g 40g 60g 120g
apricots, dried (whole) 45g 55g 85g 170g
blackberries, raspberries 25g 50g 75g 150g
breadcrumbs, fresh white 15g 20g 30g 60g
currants 35g 50g 70g 140g
fruit mince 80g 105g 160g 320g
hazelnuts (whole) 30g 40g 60g 120g
mascarpone 50g 70g 100g 200g
medium-grain rice 55g 75g 110g 220g
oats, wholegrain 30g 40g 60g 120g
pecans, halves 30g 40g 55g 110g
quark 60g 80g 120g 240g
ricotta 50g 70g 100g 200g
semolina (fine) 45g 60g 90g 180g
sultanas 40g 55g 80g 160g
walnuts, halves 25g 35g 50g 100g
walnuts, pieces 30g 40g 60g 120g
1 stick butter = 4oz (112g)

1 level Tbsp flour = 10g

1 level Tbsp caster sugar = 15g (15 Tbsp to a cup)

1 level tsp gelatin = 4g

1 level Tbsp gelatin = 12g

Special note on eggs

If egg whites or yolks are left over from a recipe, they can be stored for other uses. Egg whites will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator, or for several months if frozen. The trick is to remember how many egg whites are in the container! If you forget, you can work it out by measuring the liquid:

1 egg white    = ⅛ cup

2 egg whites = ¼ cup

4 egg whites = ½ cup.

Another trick is to weigh them, as the white makes up approximately two-thirds of an egg’s weight:

small (size 5) eggs weigh about 55g (about 35g for the white)

medium (size 6) eggs weigh about 65g (45g for the white)

large (size 7) eggs weigh about 75g (50g for the white).

Special note on yeast

Active dry yeast needs to be rehydrated in liquid before mixing with other ingredients.

Instant dry yeast has been developed for use in bread-making machines and can be added directly to dry ingredients without rehydrating in liquid first.

1 packet active dry yeast most often weighs 7g (7g = ¼ oz = 2¼ tsp).

1¼ tsp active dry yeast = 1 tsp instant dry yeast.

Fresh yeast gives baking a more complex flavour, yeasty and flowery.

As a rule of thumb, divide or multiply by 3 when exchanging fresh yeast for active dry yeast or vice versa.

10g fresh yeast = 1 tsp dry yeast

30g fresh yeast = 10g dry yeast

7g dry yeast – 21g fresh yeast

MEASUREMENTS
Centimeters to approximate inches
0.5cm = ¼ in 5cm = 2 in
1.25cm = ½ in 7.5cm = 3 in
2.5cm = 1 in 10cm = 4 in
CAKE TIN MEASURES
Centimeters to approximate inches
15cm = 6 in
18cm = 7 in
20cm = 8 in
23cm = 9 in
25cm = 10 in
28cm = 11 in
30cm = 12 in
OVEN TEMPERATURES
CELSIUS FAHRENHEIT GAS
110°C 225°F ¼ very cool
120°C 250°F ½
140°C 275°F 1 cool
150°C 300°F 2
170°C 325°F 3 moderate
180°C 350°F 4
190°C 375°F 5 moderately hot
200°C 400°F 6
220°C 425°F 7 hot
230°C 450°F 8
240°C 475°F 9 very hot
°C degrees Celsius
°F degrees Fahrenheit

Comments

  1. Bernard says

    10 November 2016 at 8:42 pm

    Hi, I check your new stuff on a regular basis.
    Your story-telling style is awesome, keep doing what you’re doing!

    Reply
    • Julie Biuso says

      8 May 2018 at 10:17 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  2. Frances George says

    14 October 2019 at 2:54 am

    Hi, I have my Grandmothers old recipe book, are you able to enighten me… how much is
    a/ one breakfast cup of flour
    b/ one teacup of sugar

    cheers
    Frances

    Reply
  3. Leona Cayzer says

    20 August 2021 at 2:32 pm

    This is a delicious fudge cake recipe from forever ago in NZ. Are you able to convert the ingredient amounts to metric for me? I have had to find substitutes for wine biscuits -they are not in Canada or Australia
    1/2 lb wine biscuits (crushed)
    1/4 lb butter
    1 teacup sugar
    2 Tlbsp cocoa
    1 egg
    Melt and boil butter, sugar & cocoa. Quickly beat in the egg to bind the mixture. Add the biscuit crumbs. Mix well
    Press into a pan, ice with chocolate icing and dot with walnut halves.

    Reply
    • Julie Biuso says

      10 September 2021 at 10:10 am

      Hi Leona.
      1/2 lb wine biscuits ≠ 225g
      1/4 lb butter = 115g
      1 teacup sugar = 3/4 cup
      2 Tbsp cocoa = 30g
      Hope that helps. If you are using an Australian recipe remember the tablespoon measures differs to most of the world. We use a 15ML TABLESPOON AND AUSTRALIA 20ML
      Also, on Shared Kitchen, if you go to Weights & Measures you will find heaps of information.

      Reply

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Shared Kitchen is an ongoing collaboration between longtime New Zealand food personality Julie Biuso and upstart food blogger Ilaria Biuso.

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