WEIGHTS,

MEASUREMENTS,
AND
SUBSTITUTIONS
How do measurements of
ingredients affect the
consistency of quality of
finished products?
Weights and measurements of ingredients are
important for consistent result in cooking. This
means, that all things being equal, exact
measurements of ingredients produce the same
quality of finished product regardless of how
many times you prepare the recipe. This implies
that cooking is a science because of
measurement and systematized step-by-step
procedure.
 DEFINITION OF TERMS:

● SUBSTITUTION- act of putting one in place of the

other
● WEIGHT- quantity or something that measures a
specified amount
● MEASUREMENT- size or dimension of something
● CONSISTENT RESULTS- uniform/compatible results
● GUARANTEE- assurance of quality expected of a
product
● CONVERSION- change in nature or form
In studying weights and measurements, it is essential to
be familiar with the following abbreviations:
oz – ounce ml – milliliter

lb – pound qt – quart
g – gram pt – pint
kg – kilogram gal – gallon

˚F – degrees Fahrenheit  

˚C– degrees Centigrade  

1 teaspoon 1/3 tablespoon 1/6 fluid ounce 5 milliliters

3 teaspoons 1 tablespoon ½ fluid ounce 15 milliliters

2 tablespoons 1/8 cup

4 tablespoons 1/4 cup

8 tablespoons ½ cup 4 fluid ounces 125 milliliters

16 tablespoons 1 cup 8 fluid ounces 250 milliliters

1 cup ½ pint

2 cups 1 pint 16 fluid ounces 500 milliliters

4 cups 2 pint 1 liter

2 pints 1 quart

4 quarts 1 gallon

½ pound 8 ounces 250 grams

1 pound 16 ounces 500 grams 0.5 kilogram

1 ½ pounds 24 ounces 750 grams

2 pounds 32 ounces 1000 grams 1 kilogram

3 pounds 1500 grams 1.5 kilograms

4 pounds 2000 grams 2 kilograms

Approximate can sizes and contents
6 oz can 1/3 cup 185 grams
8 oz can 1 cup 250 grams
12 oz can 1 ½ cups 375 grams
16 oz can 2 cups 500 grams
20 oz can 2 ½ cups 625 grams
24 oz can 3 cups 750 grams
The following chart also gives approximate conversion from ºF to ºC.
This chart can be used for conversion of recipes which give oven
temperatures in metric measures.
Description of Oven Automatic Electric ºF ºC
Gas
Cool 200 200 90
Very Slow 250 250 120
Slow 300-325 300 150-160
Moderately Slow 325-350 325 160-170
Moderate 350-375 350 170-190
Moderately Hot 375-400 375 190-200
Hot 400-450 400 200-230
Very Hot 450-500 450 230-260
Temperature for deep-fat-frying-
Boiling temperature- 100
Freezing temperature- 5
Temperature of the refrigerator- 40

Baking temperature- 300

Conversion of Temperature Measurements

( º F− 𝟑𝟐 ) 𝐱 𝟓
Centigrade = (ºF-32) or 𝟗

Fahrenheit = ( x ) + 32 or 1.8 x

º 𝐂𝐱𝟗
𝐨𝐫
𝟓+𝟑𝟐
 50 10
60 16
70 21
80 27
90 32
100 38
110 43
120 49
130 54
 Substitution for Ingredients
Ingredients stated in recipe Substitutes
1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon baking soda plus ½ cup of fully
soured milk or lemon juice with sweet milk to
make ½ cup
¼ teaspoon baking plus ¼ to ½ cup molasses
¼ teaspoon baking soda plus 5/8 teaspoon cream
of tartar

1 teaspoon active dry yeast 1 package (7 gm) dry yeast or 1 compressed

yeast cake

1 whole egg 2 egg yolks 3 tablespoons thawed frozen egg

2 ½ tablespoons sifted dry egg powder plus 2 ½
tablespoons water
Ingredients stated in Substitutes
recipe
1 egg yolk 1 1/3 tablespoons frozen egg yolk
2 tablespoons sifted dry egg yolk powder
plus 2 teaspoon water

1 egg white 2 tablespoons frozen egg yolk

2 teaspoons sifted dry egg yolk powder
plus 2 tablespoons water

1 can of canned About 1 1/3 cup fresh tomatoes simmered

tomatoes for ten minutes
Ingredients stated in Substitutes
recipe
1 cup self-rising flour 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 teaspoon

1 tablespoon A.P. flour ½ tablespoon cornstarch, potato starch,

rice starch, or arrowroot starch or
2 teaspoon quick cooking tapioca

1 tablespoon 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

cornstarch
Ingredients stated in Substitutes
recipe
1 cup cake flour 7/8 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup all-purpose flour sifted minus 2
tablespoons1
1 cup sugar, 1 1/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
granulated 1 1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 ½ cup corn syrup minus ½ cup liquid
1 cup honey minus 1/3 of ½ cup liquid

1 cup honey 1 ¼ cup sugar ½ cup liquid

Ingredients stated Substitutes
in recipe
1 ounce 3 tablespoon cocoa plus 1 tablespoon fat
chocolate
1 square 3 tablespoon cocoa plus 1 tablespoon fat
unsweetened
chocolate
1 cup butter 1 cup margarine
7/8 to 1 cup hydrogenated fat plus ½
teaspoon fat
7/8 cup lard plus ½ teaspoon salt
7/8 cup rendered fat plus ½ teaspoon salt
Ingredients stated in Substitutes
recipe
1 cup coffee cream 3 tablespoon butter plus about 7/8 cup
( 20 percent) milk
1 cup heavy cream ¼ cup butter about ¾ cup milk
( 40 percent)

1 cup whole milk 1 cup reconstituted nonfat dry milk plus

2 ½ teaspoon butter or margarine
½ cup evaporated milk plus cup water
½ cup sifted dry whole milk powder plus
7/8 cup water
Ingredients stated in Substitutes
recipe
1 cup milk 3 tablespoon sifted nonfat dry milk
powder plus 1 cip water
6 tablespoon sifted nonfat dry milk
crystals plus 1 cup water

1 cup buttermilk or 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice plus

sour milk enough sweet milk to make 1 cup (let
stand 5 minutes)
1 ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar plus 1 cup
sweet milk.
Some preparation and cooking processes
1. Bake- to cook in an oven or oven-type appliance
2. Baste – to moisten the surface of food while roasting.
The purpose is to keep the food moist and more flavorful.
3. Blanch- to put (food items) in boiling water or steam for
a short time to inactivate enzymes and shrink food for
drying or canning
4. Blend- to mix thoroughly two or more ingradients
5. Braise- to cook with small amount of liquid in a covered
container
6. Bread- to coat meat, fish, or vegetable with
bread crumbs, alternately with beaten eggs or
milk
7. Broil- to cook by direct heat
8. Caramelized- to heat sugar until it melts
and characteristics flavor develops
9. Chop- to cut into pieces using a knife
10. Dice- to cut into cubes about ½ inch
11. Dot- to scatter bits like butter on the
surface of food.
12. Dredge – to coat with flour or other fine
substances
13. Sauté- to cook in a small amount of fat
14. Roast- to cook uncovered in dry heat
15. Simmer- to cook in liquid below boiling
point
16. Sliver- to cut into long strips
17. Stew- to simmer in a small quantity of liquid
18. Toast- to brown by dry heat as in heat
19. Toss- to humble ingredients lightly using
wooden spoons or wooden fork
20. Truss- to tie chicken or meat in a skewer to
maintain its shape while roasting
21. Whip- to beat rapidly to produce expansion.
How to measure ingredients
A. Fats and Oils
1. Fats- Solid
a.) Press firmly into the cup until
full. Level with the straight edge of
a spatula or knife.
b.) To measure a division of a cup, use
one of the following:
i. Use individual cups measuring .
ii. Measure in tablespoon; there are 26
tbsp in 1 cup.
iii. Use a pound bar of butter or other
fat as equivalent to about 1 cup.

2. Oils or melted fats- Pour liquids fats

into the container to the measuring
marks
B. Flours and Meals
1. White Flour
a.) Sifted- sift flour then spoon
lightly into measuring cup until
overflowing. Do not shake the cup.
Level with straight edge of a spatula
or knife.
b.) Unsifted- Spoon flour lightly into
measuring cup until overflowing. Do not
shake the cup. Level with straight edge
of a spatula or knife.
2. Whole grain flours and meals- stir
lightly with a fork or spoon, then
measure like unsifted white flour.
C. Milk
1. Liquid milk- pour into the container to
the measure mark.
2. Dry milk- spoon lightly into measuring
cup without shaking the cup until the
measure is overflowing. Level with the
straight edge of a spatula or knife.
D. Sugars and Syrups
1. Sugars
a.) Brown sugar- break lumps before
measuring; then pack into a cup firmly
enough for the sugar to keep the shape
of the cup when turned out. This does
not apply to granulated brown sugar.
b.) White sugar and granulated
brown sugar- Remove lumps before
measuring. Fill the cup or spoon with
sugar to overflowing without
shaking. Level the sugar with the
straight edge of a spatula or knife.
2. Honey or molasses- pour
syrup into the spoon or cup to
the measure mark.
COMPUTING
MARKUP
PERCENTAGE
● Markup (tubo) is the amount added
to the cost of goods or merchandise.
Together (the mark up and cost of
good) constitute the selling price of
the merchandise.
● Selling price- is the price at which a
product or service is sold to the buyer
● Purchase cost- the price at which
something is actually purchased.
● Markup percentage- measures the percent
adds to its cost to set the retail price
Example
● If one pineapple bought from a producer is P14.00
and you added an amount of P2.00 for fare and
other operational expenses, the cost of one
pineapple is P16.00. This is your cost of good.
● To determine how much you will sell the
pineapple , you add an amount that will constitute
your profit. This is your markup. If you added
P8.00 as your markup to the cost of good, then
your selling price is P24.00 (P16.00+P8.00)
● To determine the markup percentage, simply
divide the markup price by the cost of good
(P8.00 ÷P16.00) then multiply by 100. Thus,
it will appear like this:

8 ÷ 16 = 0.5 x 100 = 50%

Markup percentage is 50%
 Buying price 14
Fare 2
Cost of product 16
Markup price 8
Selling price 24

8 ÷ 16 = 0.5 x 100 = 50 %
Markup percentage is 50%
 Buying price 20
Fare 10
Cost of product 30
Markup price 10
Selling price 40

10 ÷ 30 = 0.33 x 100 = 33 %
Markup percentage is 33%