US Liquid Measurements

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US Can Sizes

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International Liquid Measurements

 
British Measurements

 
Australian Measurements

 
Metric Spoon Conversions

 
Substitutions & Equivalents

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Have you ever been right in the middle of a recipe and you realize you are missing one of the ingredients which you 'thought' you had?  Here are a few ideas which may help you to 'save the day'.

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Flours~

US & UK all purpose and plain flour can be interchanged without any adjustments.  US cake flour is lighter however, and can be substituted with 1 cup minus 3 Tbsp. of all purpose/plain flour, and add 3 Tbsp. of cornstarch or potato flour to make the full cup.  Self rising flour can be made by substituting 1 cup of all purpose/plain flour minus 2 tsp., and add 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 tsp. salt to make the full cup.  US whole wheat flour is interchangeable with UK wholemeal flour.

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Dairy Products~

Evaporated milk & Condensed Sweetened milk are both sold in cans.  Both are similar in consistency and color, but they are not the same.  Condensed Sweetened milk (such as Eagle brand) is mixed with sugar and a higher concentrate of dry milk.  A recipe for a homemade version of this can be found by doing a search on our website by clicking here and scrolling down to the search box.

Recipes calling for buttermilk or cultured milk can be made by creating your own 'sour milk' substitute.  Add one Tbsp. of vinegar or lemon juice to each cup of sweet milk, then let stand for about 5 minutes.  Use as directed in your recipe, and you won't be able to tell the difference.

The table below will give you an idea of the percentage of milk fat in each type of milk product.

Dairy Product	US	UK
Whipping Cream	30%	35%
Whipped Cream	n/a	35%
Clotted Cream	n/a	55%
Double Cream	n/a	48%
Heavy Cream	36%	n/a
Half Cream	'Half & Half'	12%
Single Cream	'Light Cream'	18%

 

Quark (or Quarg) Is a soft, unripened cheese with the texture and flavor of sour cream. Quark comes in both lowfat and nonfat. The calories are the same (35 per ounce) in both types, the texture of lowfat Quark is richer than that of lowfat sour cream. It has a milder flavor and richer texture than lowfat yogurt. Quark can be used as a sour cream substitute to top baked potatoes, and in a variety of dishes including cheesecakes, dips, salads and sauces.

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Sugars & other Sweeteners~

US superfine sugar can be used in place of UK castor sugar.  These sugars are finer than regular granulated sugar.  Most times, you can use regular granulated sugar in place of castor sugar with no ill effects.   UK/Aust/NZ icing sugar can be used in place of US confectioner's/powdered sugar.   You will occasionally find one of these which contains 5% cornstarch or corn flour.

Sugar or golden syrup can by substituted for US corn syrup.  You will find that corn syrup comes in two forms- light and dark.   Dark corn syrup is similar in texture and flavor to molasses, and can be used in place of molasses if needed.  Many times recipes will list light corn syrup as 'Karo' brand syrup.  Golden syrup is a thick, light brown byproduct of the sugar cane refining process.  Many times recipes will list golden syrup as 'Lyle's' brand syrup, or 'Chelsea' brand syrup.  Light corn syrup is an acceptable substitute, or a homemade version can be quickly mixed up by mixing 2 cups sugar and 1 cup water, then boiling for 1 minute.  Be certain to cool your homemade version before using it in any recipe.  You may also find blackstrap molasses listed in a recipe or two, and may substitute black treacle for it if needed.

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Leavening Agents~

Baking soda is made from 'sodium bicarbonate'.  Recipes listing this as an ingredient always contain some type of acidic ingredient, because this is what activates the baking soda.

Baking powder is made from a powdered acid and baking soda, and can be activated in a recipe without adding any other acidic ingredients.   A substitute for baking powder can be made as follows:

Baking Powder Substitute~

Mix 1/4 tsp. Baking Soda plus 1/2 tsp. Cream of Tartar   This mixture can be used to substitute 1 tsp. baking powder.

Eggs are often times used as leavening agents in recipes, and so it is important to never add or remove eggs from the recipe until you know if this is why they have been included in the recipe.  An egg substitute which can be used in a pinch is as follows:

~Egg Substitute

For use in baking only, soften 1 tsp. unflavored gelatin in 1 Tbsp. cold water.  Add 2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. boiling water and mix.   This mixture may be used to substitute for 1 egg when baking.

Another good egg substitute to use in baking only, is to use 1 heaping Tbsp. Soy Flour dissolved in 2 Tbsp. water.  This mixture may be used to substitute for 1 egg when baking.

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Starches~

US cornstarch and UK corn flour may be interchanged.  Potato flour is a starch as well and may be substituted for cornstarch.  US corn flour is actually finely ground cornmeal, and this may be confusing in many recipes.  Double check with the author of your recipe if you are in doubt as to whether your recipe calls for US or UK corn flour.  Generally, US corn flour/cornmeal is used in larger amounts as a major ingredient in a corn bread type recipe, or as a coating for fried/baked meats or vegetables.  UK corn flour/cornstarch is used in small amounts as a thickening agent in baked goods or puddings and gravies.   If your recipe calls for cornstarch/corn flour as a thickening agent, you may substitute twice the amount called for in flour, and get the same results, if the recipe is being heated to a boil.  Flour will give a cloudier result however, so if you need a clear result, do not use it as a substitute.

Arrowroot is a white powder extracted from the root of a West Indian plant.  It looks and feels like cornstarch.  Arrowroot has no flavor and may also be used as a thickening agent for sauces, pies, puddings and glazes.    Arrowroot mixtures thicken at a lower temperature than mixtures made with flour or cornstarch.  Mix arrowroot with cool liquids before adding hot liquids, then cook until mixture thickens.  Remove from heat immediately to prevent mixture from thinning.  2 tsp. of arrowroot can be  substituted for 1 Tbsp. of cornstarch.   Arrowroot makes clear, shimmering fruit gels and prevents ice crystals from forming on homemade ice cream.

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Fats~

A 'stick' or 'cube' or 'square' of butter or margarine is equal to 1/2 cup US or 4 ounces or approximately 100 grams.  There are 8 Tbsp. to each 1/4 pound 'stick' of butter or margarine.  Many times manufacturers mark the paper wrapper with measurements so you can slice off the exact amount of butter or margarine needed without the use of a measuring spoon or measuring cup.

Shortening is a solid, white colored fat made from hydrogenated vegetable oil.  (A common US brand is Crisco, and this may be used to name this ingredient in many US recipes.)  Shortening is sold in both plain and butter flavors in the US.  Many times you may substitute butter or margarine for shortening in recipes, but this will result in a different flavor due to the fact that vegetable shortening has a very bland, nondescript flavor. 

Another substitution which may be used is Lard.   Lard is rendered and clarified pork fat.  The quality of lard depends on the area of the pig which the fat came from.  The very best is 'leaf lard' which comes from the fat around the animal's kidneys.  Unprocessed lard has quite a strong flavor and a soft texture.  Lard can be processed in many ways, including filtering, bleaching, hydrogenation and emulsification.  In general, processed lard is firmer (about the consistency of shortening) and has a milder, nutlike flavor.  Lard can also have a longer shelf life than butter, margarine or shortening.  Lard is richer than many other fats, and therefore makes extremely tender, flaky biscuits and pastries.   It's a flavorful fat for frying and is widely used throughout South America and many European countries.  When substituting lard for butter in baking, reduce the amount by 20 to 25 percent.  All lard should be tightly wrapped to prevent absorption of other flavors.  It may be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator, depending on how it has been processed.  Always check the label for storage directions.

Copra is a solid fat derived from coconuts.   It is fairly saturated and used in recipes where it is melted, combined with other ingredients and left to set.  This is sometimes referred to as coconut or palm leaf lard.

Deep frying requires fats/oils with heat tolerant properties.  Butter and margarine, as well as lard & olive oil are not good candidates for this type of cooking.  Canola, Vegetable, Corn and Peanut oils are widely used for deep frying.

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Chocolates~

In recipes calling for unsweetened baking chocolate, you may substitute 3 Tbsp. of unsweetened cocoa powder + 1 Tbsp. of vegetable or olive oil, for each 1 ounce square.  US dark chocolate and UK plain chocolate are the same, the darkest, sweetest of eating chocolates.  This chocolate is also referred to as 'bittersweet',  'semi-sweet' or 'sweet dark'.  US milk chocolate and UK milk, or plain chocolate are also the same.  When following a recipe, please remember that chocolate chips contain an ingredient which slows the melting process, and bar chocolates do not contain this same ingredient.  'Bitter' chocolate is a term used in the UK for high quality plain chocolate.