When you are measuring ingredients on a scale, most of the time you will need to measure a quantity of it from the package. The easiest way to do this is to use a container to put the ingredient in as you measure. To accomplish this, the easiest way is to tare your scale. To tare your scale means to set it to zero. Once you add your container to the scale, you will need to tare it. Then the scale just weighs the ingredient and not the container.
Tip: You can also tare the scale after the addition of each ingredient. For example, you need 8 oz of flour. Then you tare it to zero after the addition of flour. Then on top of the flour, you add 4 ounces of almond flour. The scale was set to zero and just weighs the almond flour, even though the bowl and 8 oz of flour is on the scale. By taring the scale, the scale disregards the weight of what was sitting on it.
Taring is a very helpful function because now you don’t have to weigh the container, remember its weight, add the ingredient, and do the math to subtract the container weight to arrive at that ingredient’s weight. Who needs that complication when you are in your happy place in the kitchen?
Here is a step-by-step guide for taring your scale. I am using an OXO scale.
Turn on the scale.
The scale should read 0.0 (Be sure to set the scale to metric (kg) if you are measuring in grams or imperial (lb) if you are measuring in ounces/pounds.
Set your empty container on the scale. The scale will now read the weight of the empty container.
Press the Tare/Zero button. The scale should now read 0.0 with your empty container sitting on it.
Now add your ingredient to the container until you reach the measurement you need.
You are done!
Wasn’t that easy! Happy baking!
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