Not ice cream unfortunately! Although you know, that’s also not a bad idea…
No, I’m talking scoops for baking. In case you might have missed it, I’m a little bit of a perfectionist. But also, I’ve worked in bakeries, and I know just how important scoops are.
Let’s talk scoops.
Portioning
Ever worked in a restaurant? They measure everything, and I do mean everything. Muffin batter? Blue scoop. Streusel topping? Purple scoop. Red scoop. Black scoop. Scoop scoop scoop. This helps them portion everything quickly, as well as to make sure that everything from a batch is used. It’s not unusual to know how many scoops a batch will make.
Consistency
In addition, using scoops means that everything is consistent. In a restaurant, this means that the meal will be exactly the same every single time. Everything will cook for the same amount of time.
So what does this mean for the home baker? Use scoops, of course!
These days, there are a multitude of scoops available online, in all different sizes. You will have to try out various sizes to see what you like, but that doesn’t mean you have to buy a bunch of scoops upfront. Look at the sizes listed, and then pull that amount off and look at it. Let’s say you’re making cookies, take an amount of dough that corresponds to the scoop you are considering and see if you think that it is the right size. Bake it, and see how long it takes to be done. If you like the results, buy that scoop. If you don’t, repeat the process with another size scoop until you find what you are looking for. Personally, I like a size 40 scoop for cookies, which is about 1.5 tablespoons. You might like something different!
Are you considering scoops? Have I convinced you to give it a go?