I never much thought about different ways of measuring things or different names for the same ingredient until we moved to Ireland. Although we all speak English, we certainly don’t always use the same words to mean the same thing. It took me several months and many questions to figure out equivalent ingredients. At first I had to figure these out to be able to cook for ourselves, then more questions came as I started sharing my American recipes with our Irish friends. The things I have learned are documented here so that hopefully others will have an easier time of it. 

While I have attempted to accurately convert my recipes into gram equivalents, not all are done (and I’ve found some mistakes :-)). For the often used ingredients there is a table of Food weights per cup for easier conversions. I’ve also added a table of ingredient substitutions for those occasions when you realize you don’t have the exact ingredient you need.

I’ve included a table for oven temperature conversion as well as pan sizes. I have tried to specify in each of my recipes both Fahrenheit and Celsius temperatures, as well as inches and centimeters for pan sizes, but in case I’ve missed a few, you can convert them here.

Ingredients:

American: European equivalent: flour or all-purpose flour plain flour or cream flour bread flour strong white flour whole wheat flour whole meal flour pastry or cake flour cream flour self-raising flour If you so not have self raising flour, for each cup of regular flour, add 1½ tsp baking powder and ½ tsp salt. sugar or granulated sugar caster sugar in Ireland. In Germany, use “Feinster” sugar, not the coarser Raffinade. brown sugar (available in England) demerara or raw sugar (though the flavor is milder - add molasses if available [see Substitutions, below]) corn syrup (see Corn Syrup below to make your own) golden syrup (for small quantities up to ¼ cup, you can use as is;  for larger quantities such as a full cup, add 1 Tbs powdered glucose) In Spain, I found Liquid Caramel which works, though not quite as well. In Germany, there’s a product called Karamell (made by Grafschafter) and it works very well. molasses treacle raisins sultanas extract (e.g., vanilla) essence sour cream creme fraiche (sour cream is available but is usually quite watery) half & half light cream graham cracker crumbs digestive biscuits, crushed ground round rib mince ground sirloin round mince

Ingredient Substitutions:

Measurements:

American Measure Also equals Metric Measure Volume:       cup 8 fluid ounces    about 250 ml tsp teaspoon   5 ml Tbs  tablespoon 3 teaspoons 15 ml ounce 2 tablespoons ⅛ cup 30 ml cube (butter) 4 ounces ¼ pound 115 grams         Weight:       oz  ounce   28.35 grams lb pound 16 ounces 455  grams

Food weight per cup:

Food: 1 cup equals (in ounces): 1 cup equals (in grams): flour or all- purpose flour 4 ounces (sifted before measuring) 5 ounces (not sifted) 125 grams (sifted before measuring) 140 grams (not sifted) sugar (granulated) 7 ounces 200 grams brown sugar 8 ounces 220 grams cocoa  Non-alkalized  Dutch processed 3 ounces 3.25 ounces 82 grams 92 grams butter 8 ounces 230 grams

Temperatures:

Fahrenheit Celsius/Centigrade Description 0 -17 Freezer temperature 32 0 Water freezes 115 46 Water simmers 130 54 Water scalds 212 100 Water boils (at sea level) 234 112 Soft ball 244 117 Firm ball 250 121 Hard ball 250-275 121-133 Very low oven 300-325 149-163 Low oven 350-375 177-190 Moderate oven 400-425 204-218 Hot oven 450-475 232-246 Very hot oven 500-525 260-274 Extremely hot oven

To convert Fahrenheit to Centigrade, subtract 32, multiply by 5, then divide by 9.
To convert Centigrade to Fahrenheit, multiply by 9, divide by 5 then add 32.

If you are using an oven with a fan, lower the temperature of the oven by 25 degrees.

For pan sizes, see below:

Shape: American Measurement Metric Equivalent Rectangle 7” x 11” 18 cm x 28 cm   8” x 11” 20 cm x 28 cm   9” x 13” 23 cm x 33 cm   10” x 15” 25 cm x 38 cm   10.5” x 15.5” 27 cm x 39 cm Square or round 8” 20 cm   9” 23 cm   10” 25.5 cm   12” 30.5 cm

Corn Syrup: In Europe I often find it difficult to find corn syrup, although it is necessary in many of my recipes. I have found that you can make your own quite easily and it seems to do the trick nicely.  To make 1 cup [250 ml] of corn syrup, by boiling together 1¼ cups [265 grams] sugar and ⅓ cup water [85 ml] until all the sugar is dissolved. This is most easily achieved by measuring the water in a glass measuring cup (500 ml) then heating it in the microwave until boiling. Add the sugar and stir well . Cover with plastic wrap and cook for 2 minutes on high power. Stir well with a wooden spoon then cover and heat again for another 2 minutes.  If not all the sugar is dissolved, repeat.

Ingredients:

As I learn specific information about special ingredients or general use of ingredients, I like to capture that information so that I have it handy when I need it. The following is my start and I expect it to grow over time.

Balsamic Vinegar: To get a real balsamic vinegar, find one that was bottled in Italy. They will be marked (usually on the cap seal) with API MO if it is from Modena, and API RE if from the Reggio area. If they do not have this mark, it may well be an imitation or bulk vinegar bottled in the US. 

The very best balsamic is made by an artisans consortium from Modena or Reggio. These undergo strict evaluation and control to ensure quality. The seal from Modena will say Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena. It will have been aged for a minimum of 12 years and cannot contain any caramel or wine vinegar. Reggio’s balsamic has a seal stating Consortium of Producers of Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale de Reggio Emilia. There are 3 different levels of quality indicated by the color of the label: Gold is best, silver next, then red. Expect to pay from $40 to over $100 a bottle for these. Use them to drizzle over finished dishes, do not use for cooking as the heat would diminish the unique quality of these vinegars.

Corn Starch: Use varying proportions of cornstarch to liquid for sauces.
Fruit Syrup: 2 tsp cornstarch to 1 cup juice
Sauce for stir fry: 2 tsp cornstarch to 1/2 cup stock.
Fruit pies: 1 Tbs cornstarch for every 1 cup fruit

Honey: If your honey has crystalized (as it will do over time), heat it gently to 130°F [55°C]. You can do this in the microwave if you use very low power, or better yet, place the honey (in it’s own container) in a pan of barely simmering water until the honey reaches 130°F [55°C], If at all possible, avoid allowing the honey to boil.

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