Understanding Baker's Math
Baker's percentages are the secret to consistent, scalable sourdough baking. Master these ratios and you'll be able to adjust any recipe to your needs while maintaining perfect results.
[Image: Flour being weighed on a scale with calculator nearby]
What is Baker's Math?
Baker's percentages (also called baker's math) express every ingredient as a percentage of the total flour weight. This system makes it incredibly easy to:
- Scale recipes up or down
- Compare different recipes
- Adjust hydration levels
- Maintain consistency across batches
The Golden Rule
Flour is always 100%. Every other ingredient is a percentage of the total flour weight.
Basic Baker's Percentages
Here's how to calculate the percentage for any ingredient:
Formula
Example Calculation
Let's say you have a recipe with:
- 500g bread flour
- 375g water
- 100g starter
- 10g salt
The baker's percentages would be:
- Flour: 500g ÷ 500g × 100 = 100%
- Water: 375g ÷ 500g × 100 = 75%
- Starter: 100g ÷ 500g × 100 = 20%
- Salt: 10g ÷ 500g × 100 = 2%
[Image: Visual diagram showing flour at 100% with other ingredients as percentages]
Understanding Hydration
Hydration is the most important percentage in sourdough baking. It determines your bread's texture, crumb, and handling characteristics.
Traditional vs. Effective Hydration
There are two ways to calculate hydration, and understanding both is crucial:
Traditional Hydration
Only counts the water you add directly to the dough.
Effective Hydration
Includes all water sources (added water + starter water).
Hydration Guidelines
Hydration Levels
Low Hydration (65-70%)
- • Easier to handle
- • Tighter crumb
- • Good for beginners
- • Better oven spring
High Hydration (75-85%)
- • More challenging
- • Open, airy crumb
- • Requires technique
- • Artisan appearance
Working with Starter Percentages
Starter percentages can be tricky because starter contains both flour and water. Here's how to handle it:
The 50/50 Rule
Most starters are maintained at 100% hydration (equal parts flour and water by weight). This means:
- 100g starter = 50g flour + 50g water
- This affects your total flour and water calculations
- Always account for starter composition in effective hydration
[Image: Starter being weighed with breakdown showing flour/water composition]
Scaling Recipes
Once you know the percentages, scaling is simple. Here's how to make any amount of dough:
Step-by-Step Scaling
- Decide your flour amount - This becomes your 100%
- Calculate each ingredient - Multiply flour weight by each percentage
- Convert percentages to decimals - 75% = 0.75
Scaling Example
Original recipe percentages: Flour 100%, Water 75%, Starter 20%, Salt 2%
To make 1kg of flour's worth:
- Flour: 1000g × 1.00 = 1000g
- Water: 1000g × 0.75 = 750g
- Starter: 1000g × 0.20 = 200g
- Salt: 1000g × 0.02 = 20g
Common Baker's Percentages
Here are typical ranges for different ingredients:
Essential Ingredients
- Water: 65-85%
- Starter: 15-25%
- Salt: 1.8-2.2%
Optional Additions
- Olive oil: 2-5%
- Sugar/honey: 2-8%
- Seeds/nuts: 5-15%
Tools for Baker's Math
While you can do baker's math by hand, these tools make life easier:
Essential Tools
- Digital scale - Accurate to 1g minimum
- Calculator - For percentage conversions
- Notebook - Track your favorite percentages
- Spreadsheet - Create your own recipe calculator
Affiliate links for recommended scales coming soon
Common Mistakes
Avoid these baker's math pitfalls:
- Forgetting starter composition - Remember it's part flour, part water
- Using volume instead of weight - Baker's percentages only work with weight
- Mixing up traditional vs. effective hydration - Know which one you're using
- Ignoring flour types - Different flours absorb water differently
[Image: Side-by-side comparison of bread made with different hydration levels]
Practice Makes Perfect
The best way to master baker's math is to use it. Start with simple recipes and work your way up to more complex formulations. Soon, you'll be creating your own recipes with confidence.
Quick Reference
Good starter recipe percentages:
- Flour: 100% | Water: 75% | Starter: 20% | Salt: 2%
- Total dough weight: 197% of flour weight
- Effective hydration: ~80% (depending on starter hydration)