I was wrong about using a scale for bread dough

For years I just used measuring cups, thinking a scale was extra work for no real gain. Then my sourdough was always a bit off, so I borrowed a friend's digital scale and measured my flour by weight. The difference in the dough texture after just one try was huge, much more consistent. Has anyone else made the switch and found it fixed a specific problem?

4 comments

4 Comments

emmaking3mo ago

Right tool, no guesswork like @rileyprice said. My cookies finally stopped spreading.

miller.diana3mo ago

Honestly, I felt like such a fool when I finally got one. All those years of my "tough guy" bread that could double as a doorstop... turns out I was just adding way too much flour. The scale didn't just fix my bread, it fixed my whole attitude about baking. Now I feel like I actually know what I'm doing, instead of just hoping for the best.

paige16620d ago

My first batch with a scale, I literally weighed out 250g of flour instead of "about 2 cups" and my dough actually felt like dough instead of play-doh. It's wild how we just accept that baking is supposed to be this mystical thing where you have to "feel it" and guess every time. But honestly, the scale also fixed my biscuit game because I stopped packing flour down like I was building a brick wall. The whole "tough guy" bread problem is totally real though, I made hockey pucks for years thinking I was just bad at kneading. It's not about being a better baker, it's about finally understanding that flour volume is a lie we all fell for.

rileyprice3mo ago

That's the thing with a lot of kitchen stuff, you don't know what you're missing until you try the right tool. It's like using a dull knife for years and then finally getting a sharp one. Suddenly you're not fighting your food anymore. Same with paint, a good brush makes all the difference compared to a cheap one that leaves streaks. The right tool just takes the guesswork out.