American to British recipe translation wanted.

[stytagm]

Hi there,

I was just wondering if anyone out there could help me with two problems.

First up, all you Americans out there, how much butter is there in a stick? preferably could you let me know in grams (or even ounces) rather than by volume, which brings me to my second question.

Has anyone got a good recipe for chocolate chip cookies, that I (a brit) could have a go at. Specifically It would be great if all the measurements could be measured out by weight in grams (for preference) or ounces. All the recipes I've found on the net have measurements in cups, and the only conversions I have found are from cups to either fluid ounces or litres. How heavy is half a litre of flour?

I have only found one recipe in metric which is:
120g Butter or marg,
120g sugar,
60g (or two tablespoons?) of golden syrup, (I prefer to substitute this with more sugar)
240g Self raising flour,
1 packet of chocolate chips. (I add far more)
A few drops of vanilla essence,
1 egg.

Cook at Gas mark 4 / 180C (350F) for about 10 mins.

These cookies are ok, but not as good as my Aunt makes (from Arizona), but it's the best I've found. All teh American recipes seem to have two eggs at least, they might just be bigger batches, but I suspect the ratios of this recipe are not quite right. Anyway, please help.

Thanks, Andrew.

[Nick]

styt,

60g is roughly equal to 4 tablespoons.. a tablespoon (as a rule of thumb) is 15g a spoon, a teaspoon is 5g... that's a rough guide.

As to the US 'cup' measure, its not so much about the actual size of the cup, but the proportions. So if you use the same cup to measure everything, the recipe will work. There is a standard US 'cup' measure, I'll see if I can dig it out, but the idea is to get the proportions right using the same cup.

[KBeee]

1 Cup = 8 fl.oz. if that's any help

[stytagm]

As to the US 'cup' measure, its not so much about the actual size of the cup, but the proportions. So if you use the same cup to measure everything, the recipe will work.

That's encouraging, I'll have a go at a few recipes and see how I get on.

On the stick of butter front, my girlfriend said that a pack of butter in the US seems about the same size as over here, but is divided into four sticks, she guessed about 100 grams each. If a pack of butter in the US is a pound, would that make each stick 4 ounces, which is about 125 grams? Does that sound about right? If a pack is half a pound then it would make a stick two ounces, about 65 grams.

Andrew

[Cat Woman]

When I last made cookies, I found that splitting the sugar between 2 different types works well (eg brown and caster?). I find that golden syrup works well to give the cookies a good "stodge" factor,its not like you can taste the syrup either. My ones tend to crumble a lot without the "stodge" factor (once baked). Same goes for chocolate brownies

[Rave]

On the stick of butter front, my girlfriend said that a pack of butter in the US seems about the same size as over here, but is divided into four sticks, she guessed about 100 grams each. If a pack of butter in the US is a pound, would that make each stick 4 ounces, which is about 125 grams? Does that sound about right? If a pack is half a pound then it would make a stick two ounces, about 65 grams.

A pound is 454g, so an ounce is 28.375g; 4oz is therefore 115g-ish.

However, I believe that American weights and measures are slightly different to ours. What a parlarver eh? Still, 10g too much or too little butter is almost certainly not going to spoil the recipe, so don't worry too much.

Rich :¬)

[stytagm]

A pound is 454g, so an ounce is 28.375g; 4oz is therefore 115g-ish.

Ta, although in all honesty I often work in ounces not grams anyway. I've got a particulaly nifty set of electronic scales that display in metric or imperial. Shiny chrome jobs made by Salter I think, very reccommended if you like gadgets in the kitchen.

However, I believe that American weights and measures are slightly different to ours. What a parlarver eh? Still, 10g too much or too little butter is almost certainly not going to spoil the recipe, so don't worry too much.

I thought it was only the volumes that were different and that the weights were the same, Don't know, I'll look it up.

The important question however is how heavy a stick (of butter) is, do we think 4 ounces is correct, it could be two ounces, which would make quite a difference. Come on all you trans-atlantic Hexusers.

[Galant]

I'll go have a look in the fridge tonight and let you know on that 'stick of butter' thing.

[stytagm]

I'll go have a look in the fridge tonight and let you know on that 'stick of butter' thing.

Thanks Galant, you're a star. I'm off to the shops now to stock up on flour and chocolate chips.

[stytagm]

I found out, apparently it is four ounces to a stick of butter. I asked in the feedback section of ncotaasd here:
http://www.nicecupofteaandasitdown.c...its/views.php3

Also without my having to bother looking it up, the same post clarified that US pint is 16 fluid ounces compared to a british pint of 20. Now the only time I've had a pint in America, US measure (ie small) and it cost me 5 dollars, and then you have to tip because they don't actually pay their waiters and bar staff.

America may be a great country, which has exported a lot of things that I wouldn't want to live without (cookies, AMD, Buffy) but it can't go metric soon enough in my opinion.