Cookbook rant...error

[momee]

The book says 2 1/4 tsp kosher salt or 7.5 grams

 

When I weigh 1 tsp kosher salt - it comes out as 7 grams.

 

So do I now go with 2 1/4 tsp or 7.5 grams?

(this is for 2 12/4 cups flour and I am making pie crust)

 

Sooo infuriating to have errors in cookbooks.  Food is money and time and I paid both to use their recipe...to find an error.  Grr.  This is my third attempt with pie and the previous book had unclear directions as well.  

 

Rant over.

[Butter]

I usually go with weights instead of measures if I can.  For that much flour, around 1 tsp does seem to make more sense to me.

[trulycrabby]

Personally, I would use the smaller amount, but using less salt is my default answer.

[kiana]

It's a lot easier to add salt if your piecrust is bland than to take it out.

[regentrude]

Use less and taste the dough, then add more to taste.

[ErinE]

When I bake savory items, I prefer 1 rounded 1/2 teaspoon of table salt (or 3/4 teaspoon if I was motivated enough to pull out my 1/4 teaspoon measure). So 1 teaspoon kosher sounds right.

[SparklyUnicorn]

It's not that critical.  1 tsp will work fine. 

 

 

[Tanaqui]

This isn't really an "error". When you measure dry ingredients by volume, the weight will vary considerably. A half cup of flour might vary in weight by several ounces.

 

If you have a scale, use the weight measurement. Otherwise, go with the smaller amount. You can always add more salt if you feel it is necessary.

[mamaraby]

The book says 2 1/4 tsp kosher salt or 7.5 grams

 

When I weigh 1 tsp kosher salt - it comes out as 7 grams.

 

Always go by the weight given in the recipe. That's the point of weight based measurements in baking - consistency. Otherwise, as you've discovered, you encounter variations in measuring instruments. Maybe your kosher salt flakes are slightly smaller than the ones used by the person who wrote the recipe or maybe their teaspoon is smaller.

 

However, 7.5g is 7.5g. Use the weight.

[Tanaqui]

Maybe your kosher salt flakes are slightly smaller than the ones used by the person who wrote the recipe or maybe their teaspoon is smaller.

 

Yes, teaspoons and whatnot are supposed to be standardized, but they frequently are not, and the ones you get from the supermarket or wherever can vary considerably.

 

[Lady Marmalade]

This isn't really an "error". When you measure dry ingredients by volume, the weight will vary considerably. A half cup of flour might vary in weight by several ounces.

 

If you have a scale, use the weight measurement. Otherwise, go with the smaller amount. You can always add more salt if you feel it is necessary.

 

This.

 

Also, different brands of kosher salt measure out very differently because of the size of the grains of salt.

 

1 teaspoon of salt for a pie crust is plenty of salt. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I weighed 1 tsp on my scale and it came out to 5 grams.  Morton brand kosher

 

But seriously it's not super critical. 

 

 

[Jean in Newcastle]

I just put what I think is a tsp. of salt in my hand (I've been doing this a long time so I have a good idea of what that is) and throw it in.  My baking turns out fine.  Measuring it in a spoon and then weighing it is something I would have never thought to do.  

[Ali in OR]

I would also go with the smaller amount, but then we purposely cut salt around here. There are so many recipes where I can cut the salt in half and never notice it (but it makes a huge difference in the sodium count). And I agree that 1 tsp is plenty for a pie crust.

 

[redsquirrel]

It's not an error really. And it's not that important.  Half a gram of salt in a pie crust isn't crucial and isn't going to make or break a recipe. I generally don't add any salt, and just use salted butter in my pie crusts. It works out just fine.

 

But i have had cookbooks with errors and it is infuriating, you are absolutely correct.