Baker’s Percentages

The most important information conveyed by a baker’s formula is the ratios of the ingredients to each other. For example, if you know a particular bread dough requires exactly two-thirds as much water as flour, you can always know the exact amount of water to add to the flour, whether you are making a large or a small quantity. Ratios are the simplest and most basic way of expressing a formula.

Bakers use a simple but versatile system of percentages for expressing their formulas. Baker’s percentages indicate the amount of each ingredient used as a percentage of the amount of flour used.