Scale

A scale is essential in bread making. Three types are commonly used in a bakery kitchen: dial scales, digital scales, and balance scales. Scales are available in a variety of maximum weights that can measure accurately all types of ingredients. All scales are marked to indicate the maximum weight allowed and the divisions provided on the dial face; for example, 2 kg × 5 g means a maximum of 2 kilograms in divisions of 5 grams. Many bakers prefer digital scales, as they are easy to use and often have a tare button, which allows the user to weigh an item, tare the scale (which takes the displayed weight back to zero), and weigh another item right on top of the first. The tare feature also allows the user to measure ingredients into a container—the scale is tared with the empty container so that the container’s weight will not have to be taken into account. A balance scale requires the user to put weights on one side of the scale and add the ingredient to be weighed on the other until the scale is balanced, indicating that the desired weight has been achieved.