Baking Percentages is basic mathematics to determine the amount per ingredient used in a formula. It is a method done to determine the amount per ingredient used in a formula; a term used in the industry similar, but not the same, as a recipe. Bakers and culinarians use baking percentages to identify how other ingredients used in a formula will react with one another.
There are two methods used for calculating the percentage of an ingredient: Bakers Percentage and True Percentage. Bakers Percentage is the most commonly used but less accurate. Bakers Percentage is a percent system used to determine how other ingredients will react to flour. To figure out the bakers percentage, you'll divide the total weight of an ingredient by the weight of the flour. You multiple the divided answer by 100 because flour is 100% of the formula. For example, if a formula calls for 12 ounces of water, and the formula uses two pounds of flour, the mathematics used will be:
Total Weight of Water (12 oz.) = 0.375 x 100 = 37.5% of water is being used in the formula.
Total Weight of Flour (32 oz.)
True Percentage is a more accurate way to determine the percentage of an ingredient being used. True Percentage are also used for formulas that does not contain flour. This will tell you the overall outcome of a dish that does not contain a leavening agent while it bakes. It is because you’re taking the weight of an ingredient and now are dividing it by the total weight of all the ingredients. The total weight now represents 100%, therefore you are now multiplying the divided answer by 100 to get your percentage. For example, if you’re using the following formula that calls for these ingredients:
2 lbs. (32 oz.) Sugar
5 lbs. (80 oz.) Flour
8 oz. Eggs
2 oz. Baking Powder
1 oz. Salt
+5 oz. Butter
8 lbs. (128 oz.) is the total weight of your ingredients
If you are to figure out the percent of sugar being used in this formula, the mathematics used will be:
Total Weight of Sugar (32 oz.) = 0.25 x 100 = 25% of sugar is being used in the formula.
Total Weight of Ingredients Combined (128 oz.)
When calculating Bakers or True Percentage, it is important to remember that you are to keep the weight of every ingredient the same. The easiest way is to convert the weight of every ingredient back into ounces. Rounding off a decimal number percentage to a whole number is not recommended. When you convert it back to a measurement, it will be higher than what it was before. This will impact the quantity of the ingredient and will not work well with the other ingredients being used.
There are two methods used for calculating the percentage of an ingredient: Bakers Percentage and True Percentage. Bakers Percentage is the most commonly used but less accurate. Bakers Percentage is a percent system used to determine how other ingredients will react to flour. To figure out the bakers percentage, you'll divide the total weight of an ingredient by the weight of the flour. You multiple the divided answer by 100 because flour is 100% of the formula. For example, if a formula calls for 12 ounces of water, and the formula uses two pounds of flour, the mathematics used will be:
Total Weight of Water (12 oz.) = 0.375 x 100 = 37.5% of water is being used in the formula.
Total Weight of Flour (32 oz.)
True Percentage is a more accurate way to determine the percentage of an ingredient being used. True Percentage are also used for formulas that does not contain flour. This will tell you the overall outcome of a dish that does not contain a leavening agent while it bakes. It is because you’re taking the weight of an ingredient and now are dividing it by the total weight of all the ingredients. The total weight now represents 100%, therefore you are now multiplying the divided answer by 100 to get your percentage. For example, if you’re using the following formula that calls for these ingredients:
2 lbs. (32 oz.) Sugar
5 lbs. (80 oz.) Flour
8 oz. Eggs
2 oz. Baking Powder
1 oz. Salt
+5 oz. Butter
8 lbs. (128 oz.) is the total weight of your ingredients
If you are to figure out the percent of sugar being used in this formula, the mathematics used will be:
Total Weight of Sugar (32 oz.) = 0.25 x 100 = 25% of sugar is being used in the formula.
Total Weight of Ingredients Combined (128 oz.)
When calculating Bakers or True Percentage, it is important to remember that you are to keep the weight of every ingredient the same. The easiest way is to convert the weight of every ingredient back into ounces. Rounding off a decimal number percentage to a whole number is not recommended. When you convert it back to a measurement, it will be higher than what it was before. This will impact the quantity of the ingredient and will not work well with the other ingredients being used.
