Finally bought a bench scraper

[Linda0818]

Yeah, not the most exciting of topics, but I've been contemplating the purchase of one for a while now, from seeing how easy it is to just 'scoop and dump' cut ingredients, so I finally bought a couple (came in a 2-pack). Normally I would just scrape the cut fruits & veggies straight into the pan or bowl from the cutting board using my hand/fingers. Which is just as easy, in my opinion, but what the heck... they were inexpensive and they're actually quite useful.

Do you use a bench scraper? And are there any other uses for them?

 

[Andy M.]

Enjoy your new purchase.

I use mine (I just have one ) to scrape shaped dough off the counter or to gather all the flour I've sprinkled onto the counter so I can dispose of it.

 

[msmofet]

Enjoy your new purchase.

I use mine (I just have one ) to scrape shaped dough off the counter or to gather all the flour I've sprinkled onto the counter so I can dispose of it.

I do those, plus to scrape my Couché of extra dough, and flour after rising and to cut my biscuits into rectangles (so I don't over work the dough).

 

[GotGarlic]

I also use mine to cut a large dough ball into smaller pieces for dinner rolls or burger buns, or something like cinnamon roll dough into individual rolls.

 

[Linda0818]

Excellent ideas

 

[Andy M.]

I also use mine to cut a large dough ball into smaller pieces for dinner rolls or burger buns, or something like cinnamon roll dough into individual rolls.

I am WAY too anal retentive to do that. I use a scale to weigh out each piece of dough for dinner rolls, bagels, etc.

 

[GotGarlic]

I am WAY too anal retentive to do that. I use a scale to weigh out each piece of dough for dinner rolls, bagels, etc.

I guess I forgot to include that I cut the dough into rough pieces, then I weigh them one by one and use the bench scraper to cut an eyeballed amount to add or take from each one until it's right. My burger bun recipe has this note:

Using digital scale, weigh each piece:
- for burger buns, 2.5 oz. - try 3 oz.
- for slider buns, 1.5 oz. - 2 oz.

 

[dragnlaw]

I also do as others mention.

GG, thanks for the weights on the buns, good to know. Is that the recipe you mentioned for Hamburger buns before?

 

[Andy M.]

I know the weight of the dough before I start and the number of rolls or whatever so it's simple division from there. e.g. my dough for bagels weighs about 1260-1275 grams. Divide by 12 to get a dozen bagels and I know each dough ball should be between 105 gr-106 gr.

 

[GotGarlic]

I also do as others mention.

GG, thanks for the weights on the buns, good to know. Is that the recipe you mentioned for Hamburger buns before?

Yes

 

[GotGarlic]

I know the weight of the dough before I start and the number of rolls or whatever so it's simple division from there. e.g. my dough for bagels weighs about 1260-1275 grams. Divide by 12 to get a dozen bagels and I know each ought ball should be between 105 gr-106 gr.

I hate math lol I'd rather play with the dough.

 

[Andy M.]

I hate math lol I'd rather play with the dough.

Fair enough.

 

[Linda0818]

I hate math lol I'd rather play with the dough.

I'm the same way.

I made my own hoagie rolls once and just kind of winged it. They actually came out pretty uniform.

 

[jazzerlord]

In fact, it's a really useful thing that for some reason many people don't buy.

 

[Linda0818]

In fact, it's a really useful thing that for some reason many people don't buy.

It's especially nice when you've got finely chopped garlic stuck to your board. Whooshes it right away.

 

[jennyema]

IMO they are very useful! I have a few and use them a lot. Mostly, I use them for baking but also for dealing with quantities of diced ingredients

 

[dragnlaw]

I'm useless eyeballing dough so I cut and nip and measure both with the bench scrapper and finger pinches.

 

[caseydog]

I have two bench scrappers. I don't know how I got two. I rarely use them, because I forget that I have them.

They are very good for diced veggies -- when I remember I have them.

CD

 

[pepperhead212]

I also have 2 bench scrapers - a metal one, with a wooden handle, and a wooden one, which I use the most, since it won't scratch the counter. When I first got the wooden one, it wasn't perfectly straight, so I washed it, let it dry a few days, then took it into my workshop, and straightened the edge, then after using it the first time, and washing it, it warped just slightly again, but after straightening it again, it has stayed straight, for years now.

I use mine mostly for bread dough, or cookie dough.

 

[blissful]

Besides baking/dough, I like mine most when canning fruit. Fruit is juicy and when I dice it juice goes all over the bread board and starts heading towards the downward edge. The metal scraper picks up the pineapple for instance, and a good amount of the juice. The juice never makes it to the edge.