How can understanding baker’s percentages help you scale a bread or pastry recipe to any size, and what does it mean when a recipe says something like “flour = 100%” in that context?

Question

What are baker's percentages? Learn how understanding this professional system can help you easily and accurately scale any bread recipe you want.

Answer 1

Baker's percentage expresses each ingredient as a percentage of the total flour weight, allowing you to scale recipes accurately by simply multiplying the flour weight by each ingredient's percentage. When a recipe states 'flour = 100%', it means all other ingredients are measured relative to the flour's weight.

Detailed Explanation:

Baker's percentage, also known as baker's math, is a method of expressing the ratio of ingredients to each other in a baking formula. The key is that flour is always 100%, and all other ingredients are expressed as a percentage of that flour weight. This makes scaling recipes incredibly easy and consistent.

Here's how it works:

1. Flour is the Foundation: The weight of the flour is always considered 100%.
2. Calculate Percentages: Each other ingredient is expressed as a percentage of the flour weight. For example, if a recipe calls for 500g of flour and 300g of water, the water percentage is (300g / 500g) * 100% = 60%.
3. Scaling Up or Down: To scale the recipe, decide on your desired flour weight. Then, multiply that weight by each ingredient's percentage to determine the new weight of that ingredient. For example, if you want to use 1000g of flour, the water needed would be 1000g * 60% = 600g.

Let's illustrate with an example:

Original Recipe (Baker's Percentages):

• Flour: 100% (500g)
• Water: 60% (300g)
• Salt: 2% (10g)
• Yeast: 1% (5g)

Scaled Recipe (Using 1000g Flour):

• Flour: 100% (1000g)
• Water: 60% (600g)
• Salt: 2% (20g)
• Yeast: 1% (10g)

By using baker's percentages, you maintain the same ratios of ingredients, ensuring consistent results regardless of the batch size.

Pro Tip:

Always use a kitchen scale for accurate measurements when using baker's percentages. Volume measurements (cups, tablespoons) can vary significantly, leading to inconsistent results, especially with ingredients like flour.