Best Cooking Hack: Ratios not Recipes (2024)

I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking that baking often seems quite daunting due to the complexity of the recipes and the required accuracy of all the essential ingredient measurements. Watching cookery shows likeMasterchef, I marvel at how the contestants seem to be able to magically conjure up the recipe for any desired dish out of thin air. I would never have believed it possible to know off the top of your head how to cook anything from the perfect cookie to a light and fluffy cake without flipping through the pages of a trusty recipe book or asking Chef Google … until I learnt about the wonders of ratio cooking!

What is Ratio Cooking?

Ratio cooking is as easy as 1, 2, 3! It’s founded on the theory that the basis for most common baking dishes can be scaled down to an easy to remember ratio of ingredients. Learn these simple ratios, and you can create delicious dishes all from memory. What’s more, simply by adding in your favourite flavours or enhancements, the options for what you can create from these bases are endless!

Ready to see just how easy this is? Here are our top ratio recipes.You can find a cheat sheet at the end of the post.

8 Essential Cooking Ratios

For each of these ratios, the numbers represent the amount of that ingredient by weight.

Pasta – 3:2

For silky smooth pasta, just combine:

• 3 parts flour (e.g. plain flour / semolina / gluten-free flour / 00 flour)
• 2 parts egg

Make a well in the centre of the flour, add the whisked eggs, then use your fingers to gradually bring in the flour and mix to form a dough. Knead the dough until elastic, then cover and rest for 30 minutes. Then either roll or shape the pasta to whatever shape you prefer, and boil till al dente.

Pound Cake – 1:1:1:1

This classic cake has the easiest ratio to remember:

• 1 part flour (e.g. self-raising flour)
• 1 part sugar (e.g. caster sugar)
• 1 part fat (e.g. butter / dairy-free margarine)
• 1 part egg

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in eggs and mix till smooth. Slowly add in the flour, mixing gently. (You could also add vanilla extract or lemon juice as part of the egg weight to change up the flavour.) Bake in an oven until a skewer comes out clean.

Scone – 3:2:1

For simple scones, use:

• 3 parts flour (e.g. self-raising flour)
• 2 parts liquid (e.g. milk / milk substitute)
• 1 part fat (e.g. butter / dairy-free margarine)

Rub the flour and butter together between fingertips till it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the liquid and mix to form a smooth dough. Feel free to add in a pinch of salt and grated cheese, or some sugar and dried fruit. Roll to about an inch thick, then cut into rounds or squares. Bake in an oven until golden on top and a skewer comes out clean.

Meringue – 2:1

The ingredients for a meringue are:

• 2 parts sugar (e.g. caster sugar)
• 1 part egg (whites only)

Whisk the egg whites to form stiff peaks. Add in a tablespoonful of sugar at a time while whisking, until light and glossy, being careful not to over-whisk. Bake in a low oven until lightly golden.

Pastry – 3:2:1

This recipe uses:

• 3 parts flour (e.g. plain flour)
• 2 parts fat (e.g. cold butter / dairy-free margarine)
• 1 part liquid (e.g. water)

Rub the flour and butter together between fingertips till it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the liquid and mix to form a dough. Be sure not to overwork the dough. Then rest in the fridge while you prepare whatever sweet or savoury filling you wish. Cook till golden and flaky.

Muffin / Quick bread – 1:1:2:2

This recipe comprises:

• 1 part egg
• 1 part fat (e.g. melted butter)
• 2 parts liquid (e.g. milk / milk substitute)
• 2 parts flour (e.g. self-raising flour)

Mix together the wet ingredients, then pour into well in the mixed dry ingredients. Bring the ingredients together until just smooth, being sure not to over-mix. (You can also add in any sweet or savoury ingredients you choose, such as grated veg or chopped fruit.) Pour into muffin tins or a loaf tin and bake until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.

Pancake – 2:2:1:1/2

For perfect pancakes, just whisk these ingredients together to form a smooth batter:

• 2 parts flour (e.g. self-raising flour / plain flour + a teaspoon of baking powder)
• 2 parts liquid (e.g. milk / milk substitute)
• 1 part egg
• 1/2 part fat (e.g. melted butter)

(You could also add a pinch of cinnamon or some vanilla essence, and a tablespoon of sugar if desired.) Pour a ladleful into a hot pan and turn when you start to see bubbles coming through.

Cookie / Shortbread – 3:2:1

For beautiful cookies or shortbread, just add:

• 3 parts flour (e.g. plain flour)
• 2 parts fat (e.g. butter / dairy-free margarine)
• 1 part sugar (e.g. caster sugar)

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy. Add the flour and gently mix until smooth. Roll the dough to your desired thickness (e.g. 2cm for shortbread, 1cm for cookies), then cut to desired shape and bake till golden.

We hope you love these simple ratio hacks! For more quick and easy baking recipes, click here.

Ratio Cooking Cheat Sheet

Pin the image below or you can click here to access a PDF version.