Baker's Percentages

-Whenever you take a formula and change the yield, it's called an extension whether it's a change for
larger or smaller.
Multiplying or dividing a formula only gives you a ballpark, not precision
!tension" taking a recipe or formula and changing the yield.
#ypes of $ormulas
#hese can be e!pressed in a number of ways
-#raditional volume recipe
#his is what most home bakers use
-#raditional weight recipe
Most home bakers haven't gotten on the weight bandwagon
Many cookbooks for home cooks are now giving recipes in both weight and volume
-%atios of ingredients
Ratio: a comparison of at least two similar things by degree or quantity; a proportion
&imilar does '(# mean you can't compare all items of a recipe together
)*MP+- ,","-
$or each unit of the $.%&# ingredient, , unit of the /nd ingredient is needed, and - units
of the third
.n a ratio formula, the measurement si0e does not matter- as long as the ratio stays the same
-Percentages of ingredients
What is the baker's percent1
-!presses a formula in percentages rather than hard numbers or measurements
+ike the ratio, it is a 2(MP*%.&(', it doesn't tell you e!actly how much you'll need
#he advantage of using the baker's percent"
#he baker's percent allows for 3uick comparison of one or more formulas.
!ample" sugar content, hydration, leavening power
#he baker's percent allows you to measure in the metric or imperial system
4 Rules of the Baker's Percent
,. ach ingredient is e!pressed as a portion or percentage of the flour in a formula
/. #he amount of flour in a formula always represents ,445
-. .f there is more than , type or amount of flour in a formula, then the combined 3uantity represents
,445
6. .f there is no flour in a formula 7or an insignificant amount8, then the ingredient in the greatest
concentration is used
-#his could be any ingredient, ie sugar.
-flour will be compared to whatever you make the standard 7don't forget it8
resume Mon 2-3
9ow to convert a standard formula to a Baker's percent formula
-2onvert all of the ingredients amounts to a standard measuring unit 7if needed8.
We usually use pounds:ounces. .n a huge operation, pounds is more effective, but here it makes
more sense to use ounces.
-#he flour becomes ,445 7simply is, ;ust label it as such8
-#he weight of the ingredient in 3uestion is divided by the weight of the flour. Multiply that number by
,44, then add a 5 sign.
Practice:
Pastry flour ,4< ,=4 o0. ,445
&ugar >< ?4 o0. >45
Brown sugar ,< ,= o0. ,45
ggs / @ pints 64 o0. />5
Butter 6< =6 o0. 645
Aanilla 6 o0. 6 o0. /.>5
?4 o0. : ,=4 o0. B 4.> ! ,44B >45
,= o0: ,=4 o0. B ., ! ,44 B ,45
64 o0.: ,=4 o0B ./>5 ! ,44B />5
=6 o0.:,=4 o0.B .6 ! ,44B 645
6 o0: ,=4 o0.B .4/> ! ,44B /.>5
2onverting with more than , flour
Pastry flour >< >45
2ake flour >< >45
&ugar >< >45
Brown sugar ,< ,45
ggs /.>< />5
Butter 6< 645
Aanilla ./>< /.>5
*dd flours. #hey become the total ,445
Pastry flour C cake flour B ,4<
'e!t figure the percentage of each of the types of flour. > lbs : ,4 lbs B .> ! ,44B >45
./> lbs : ,4 lbs B ,4/> ! ,44B /.>5
'ow that the formula has been converted to the Baker's percent, if the amount of flour is changed, then
the other ingredients can be calculated in proportion to the flour.
#o calculate the weight of an ingredient then the amount of flour is known, you should"
-2hange the ingredient percent into a decimal
-multiply the weight of the flour by the decimal figure to get the weight of the ingredient in 3uestion.
-When working with less than whole pounds, first convert to ounces, then follow the basic steps.
alculating the weight of the other ingredients
Pastry flour = lbs >45
2ake flour = lbs >45
&ugar = lbs >45
Brown sugar ,./ lbs ,45
ggs - lbs />5
Butter 6.? 645
Aanilla .- lbs /.>5
,/ lbs B ,445
&ugar" 7>45 : ,448 B .> 7! ,/ lbs8 B = lbs
Brown sugar" 7,45 ! ,448 B ., ! ,/ lbsB ,./ lbs
gg" 7/>5 ! ,448 B ./> ! ,/lbs B - lbs
How do I calculate a new yield using the baker's percent?
+et's illustrate with a story problem.
* woman calls and orders /64 cookies. 2hef asks how much dough you need to make the cookies.
.f you receive an order for /64 cookies, how much dough would you need to make those cookies1
What size are the cookies?
/ ounces each
Dou would need 6?4 ounces of cookie dough 7/ ounces ! /64 cookies8
#his is called the desired yield
!teps for calculating the ingredients needed to ma"e the new yield
,. 2onvert weights to a common denominator 7eg. (unces8
/. *dd all of the percentages
-. Eivide the percentage total by ,44
#his will give you a decimal number called the F$actorG
6. Eivide the FEesired DieldG by the $actor. #his new number is the total amount of flour re3uired to
make the new yield.
>. Dou can now calculate the 3uantity of all of the ingredients needed to make the new yield.
Resume #uesday 2$%
Changing a new yield using the Baker's Percent
,=4o0. 2!"##
Pastry $lour >< >45 ?4o0 !.> ,4>.6H> o0.
2ake $lour >< >45 ?4o0 !.> ,4>.6H> o0.
&ugar >< >45 ?4o0 !.> ,4>.6H> o0.
Brown sugar ,< ,45 ,=o0 !., /,.4HH o0.
ggs /.>< />5 64 o0 !./> >/.I6I o0.
Butter 6< 645 =6o0 !.6 ?6.-H= o0.
Aanilla ./>< /.>5 6 o0 !.4/> >./I>o0.
//.I>< //I.>5 -=6 o0 6IH.HI= o0
6?4o0 7desired yield8
$actprB //I.>5 : ,44B /./I>
6?4o0 :/./I> B/,4.HHo0
for accuracy& go to the hundredths
Can I easily scale these nu$bers?
!%"4#%o&
'o, we need to convert to pounds
#o convert ,4>.6H> o0 to pounds and ouncesG
,4>.6H> : ,= B =.>H-6-I>
verything left of the decimal is in pounds" =<
verything right of the decimal is multiplied by ,=
.>H-6-I> ! ,= B H.6H> o0
(% = lbs. H.6H> o0.
Rounding
%ound to the closest 3uarter ounce 7.4, 4./>, 4.>, 4.I>8
=< H.6H> o0 rounds to '( )*+ o,
,8 look at ingredient
/8 look at total yield