Tipsy Tuesday (#233)

If you think punctuation is not important, try baking without it.

Tip #233

I am always reading a recipe and wondering whether to chop before or after measuring. Joy the Baker has solved it for me!

Joy says, "The comma is everything when it comes to baking measurements. Every cut, chop, or dice instruction after a comma in an ingredient list is to be done after the ingredient is measured. For example, 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped. In longhand, this means… go to the store and buy one of those four ounce bars of chocolate, probably that fancy bar of Ghirardelli that’s next to the chocolate chips in the baking aisle. Buy it. Take it home. Unwrap it. Try not to take a bite because you’re using it for brownies. Put it on the counter. Chop it. Don’t sneak any bites. We know it’s hard. Place it in the bowl with the butter and follow the rest of the dang instructions. This recipe list does not mean chop a bunch of chocolate and measure out 4 ounces and snack on the rest."