Lastly, a Mess-Free Method to Measure Sticky Substances Like Honey and PB

It is 3 a.m., and my four-year-old daughter and I are wakeful. No shock—it is a blood moon, and in some way our sleep cycles at all times go haywire when the moon decides to point out off. She’s on the kitchen desk coloring and masking each floor with stickers, Joni Mitchell is enjoying within the background, and I am writing whereas honey-sweetened muffins bake away within the oven.

And whereas I would like to let you know the blood moon impressed some profound culinary revelation, the reality is less complicated. At this very off hour, someplace between listening to “Large Yellow Taxi” and wiping batter off the counter, I discovered myself grumbling about measuring honey. It is a acquainted state of affairs for many people: You go to measure out a tablespoon of a sticky ingredient, and as a substitute of plopping neatly into the bowl, it clings to the spoon. You scrape, you bang, you mutter issues underneath your breath—and even then, you by no means fairly get all of it. However the repair is blissfully easy.

The Finest Method to Measure Honey

Honey, maple syrup, molasses, and even peanut butter all share this downside of clinging to measuring spoons or cups like glue. To keep away from this, grease your measuring spoon or cup with a lightweight coating of oil, butter, or nonstick cooking spray earlier than including your sticky ingredient. That skinny layer of oil creates a barrier, so the honey (or molasses, or peanut butter) slides proper out. 

Why it really works:

• The fats retains sticky components from clinging to the perimeters of your measuring instrument.
• You get a extra correct measurement as a result of each final bit really makes it into the bowl.
• You waste much less (and you do not find yourself chiseling dried honey off your spoon hours later).

My coworker Genevieve Yam has identified that spraying your spoon simply means you find yourself with an oily utensil as a substitute of a sticky one. Truthful. However to me, that is the lesser of two evils—cleaning soap and scorching water deal with somewhat oil in seconds.  If you’re measuring oil or butter for a similar recipe, you may merely measure these slick components earlier than the honey.

Different “Options” That Do not Fairly Measure Up

I am not the primary individual to be aggravated by sticky measuring spoons, and some different options are floating round—however most of them are extra hassle than they’re price.

• The flour trick. I’ve seen the hack wherein you press the again of a measuring spoon into your measured flour in a bowl, then pour the honey instantly into the indentation. Positive, it prevents some sticking, nevertheless it’s not an correct measurement, and dumping honey straight into flour is not precisely nice for even mixing.
• Adjustable push-up measuring cups. Sure, they exist. Sure, they’re enjoyable to make use of. However they solely work properly for bigger quantities, not for a tablespoon or two, and so they’re nonetheless a ache to wash. Plus, do you actually need to dedicate valuable space for storing to a single-use instrument you will pull out possibly twice a yr?

At 3 a.m., with honey muffins within the oven and a blood moon outdoors, I can verify that greasing your measuring spoon or cup is the quickest, cleanest option to measure sticky components when baking and cooking. Whether or not it is midnight muffins or Tuesday pancakes, this trick makes measuring sticky components fast, clear, and frustration-free.