Level

A level measure is a spoon or cup filled with a dry ingredient and then scraped flat across the rim, so the top is even with the edge. It is the standard for measuring by volume. When a recipe says "1 teaspoon baking soda" with no other word, it means a level teaspoon. British spelling is levelled, and Swedish recipes say struken.

How to do it

1. Stir or fluff the ingredient in its container so it is not compacted.
2. Spoon it into the measuring cup or spoon until it is piled above the rim. For spoons, you can dip straight into the jar.
3. Hold the measure over the container.
4. Run the back of a straight knife across the rim, pushing the extra back into the container.
5. Do not tap or shake the measure after leveling. That settles the contents and changes the amount.

Why it works

A level measure is the only one two cooks can repeat. A heaping spoon can hold 50 to 100 percent more than a level one, and the extra depends on the ingredient. For flour, the way you fill the cup matters too: scooping straight from the bag packs it down and can add 20 percent or more. Spooning in and leveling gives about 120 to 125 g per US cup of all-purpose flour.

Leveling matters most for small amounts of strong ingredients. An extra half teaspoon of baking soda in a batch of muffins is enough to make them taste soapy and brown too fast.

Common mistakes

• Leveling with your finger. It presses down and leaves a dip.
• Leveling over the mixing bowl, so the excess falls into the batter.
• Shaking a cup to level it. That packs the ingredient down.
• Leveling brown sugar. Brown sugar is packed unless the recipe says otherwise.
• Sifting at the wrong time. "1 cup sifted flour" means sift first, then measure, which gives less flour than "1 cup flour, sifted", where you measure first.

In recipes

You will see "1 level teaspoon", "1 level tablespoon" and in older British recipes "1 level dessertspoon". Swedish recipes write "1 struken tsk". The opposites are heaping (more) and scant (a little less).