No, one does not have to be a math wiz to figure out the proper amount of ingredients for a bake. Most recipes already give the quantities for a good bake.
But what if one wishes to make adjustments? What if a recipe specifies ingredient quantities for a yield of one loaf, but two or even four loaves need to be baked?
It is all about what is called ‘Baker’s Percentages,’ or ‘Baker’s Math.’
Can quantities be doubled, quadrupled, or halved for a two-loaf recipe if only one loaf is wanted? The basic answer is yes. But what if hydration levels need adjustment? Or if more or less levain is available for the bake? Doubling or halving does not always provide the proper amounts.
Our free calculators help bakers determine the appropriate quantities of rations and related items.
The Sourdough App
This app calculates baker’s percentages. Indicate the desired quantity of loaves and an individual gross weight, along with a few other key values, and this form will calculate the weights of subsequent ingredients for the main dough and levain. The levain is assumed to be a build of equal parts of bread flour and water (more…)
Temperature Conversion Calculator
Will America ever go metric? Author Ye Olde German Baker View all posts
Weight Conversion Calculator
Will the America ever go metric? This calculator is designed to convert measures for water – a fluid. Looking for more unit conversions? UnitConverters.net is perhaps the most comprehensive unit conversion website. Author Ye Olde German Baker View all posts
Levain Ratio Calculator
Bakers have various preferences regarding the proper ratio for building levain, such as 1:1:1 or 1:3:3. What matters most when building levain is adding the same amount of water and flour.
Free Bulk Fermentation Assessment
When is bulk fermentation done? It can be difficult for a cottage baker to figure out when bulk fermentation has proceeded enough for the dough to be released from its fermentation vessel onto the counter for shaping. Fermentation − the activities of yeast and lactic bacteria producing volume and flavors, respectively − continues past the (more…)
Optimal Dough Temperature Calculator
Temperature is a critical factor in sourdough baking The calculator below helps to approximate the optimal temperature of the mixing water. The easiest way to meet the desired dough temperature of about 75° F to 82° F (24° C to 28° C) for a bread recipe is by adjusting the temperature of said mixing water. Please use the (more…)
Baker’s Percentages Calculator
Levain & Main Dough & Baker’s Percentages Calculator The default settings of these calculations are biased toward sourdough percentages. By adjusting a recipe’s ingredient weights, you can calculate alternative percentages to scale up or down or rebalance. Dark rye flour is considered a whole-grain flour. By default, the calculations add dark rye flour to the (more…)
