What Is Baker’s Percentage

Baker’s percentage is a calculation method a baker uses to develop or follow recipes. This computing method is a way for the baker to express a recipe in terms of the proportion of ingredients by weight.
In the baker’s percentage, the flour is always set as 100%, and all other ingredients are calculated as a percentage of the flour weight. This allows for accurate recipe development and easy scaling of the recipes, as well as the ability to make ingredient substitutions and adjustments.

How To Calculate Baker’s Percentage

Here is an example demonstrating how to calulate in baker’s percentage. A recipe for bread that calls for 1000 grams of flour and 600 grams of water, the baker’s percentage for the water would be 60% since the water is calculated toward the flour. This means that the weight of the water is 60% of the weight of the flour.
The Baker can also use the percentage to easily compare different recipes. For example, if you have two bread recipes and one uses 60% hydration (water) while the other uses 70% hydration, you can quickly tell that the second recipe will be wetter and more challenging to work with.

It’s important to note that baker’s percentage is used primarily in professional baking, not in home baking. It is more complex and less intuitive than volumetric measurements, but it’s a very efficient way to communicate and understand recipes.

Frequently Asked Questions About Baker’s Percentage

What is the purpose of using baker’s percentage?

Baker’s percentage is a method of expressing a recipe in terms of the proportion of ingredients by weight, which allows for easy scaling of recipes, as well as the ability to make ingredient substitutions and adjustments.

How do I calculate baker’s percentage?

To calculate baker’s percentage, you take the weight of an ingredient and divide it by the weight of the flour, then multiply by 100%. For example, if a recipe calls for 1000g of flour, 25 grams of yeast, 20 grams of salt and 750g of water, the baker’s percentage for the salt would be 2%, for the yeast 2.5%, and for the water 75%).

What is the difference between baker’s percentage and volumetric measurements?

Volumetric measurements, such as cups and tablespoons, are based on volume, whereas baker’s percentage is based on weight. This means that the same recipe may yield different results depending on the method of measurement used. Baker’s percentage allows for more consistent and accurate results, but it’s less intuitive and more complex than volumetric measurements..

Is baker’s percentage only used in professional baking?

Baker’s percentage is primarily used in professional baking, not in home-baking. But it can also be used by advanced home-bakers who want to have more control and understanding over the baking process.

Is there a standard baker’s percentage for different types of bread?

There is no standard baker’s percentage for different types of bread, but different types of bread typically have different hydration levels. For example, a baguette typically has a lower hydration level (around 60%) compared to a ciabatta (around 75%).