Baker's Percentage  & Using the Intrepid Spreadsheet


Calculate Baker's Percentages

The Artisan has revised the discussion of Baker's Percentage, and has provided a number of new examples relative to the use thereof.  To view the revised Baker's Percentage discussion, click the % sign. Please note that the original Java applet is no longer available. We have uploaded an Excel spreadsheet that does the same thing.

The spreadsheet is already formatted with the necessary formulae.  It is divided into three sections.  The first is labeled BASIC METHOD and spans cells A1 to C11.   This section calculates the percentages of each ingredient listed in the leftmost column, and totals them.  Entering numbers in this section establishes calculated values for other parts of the spread sheet.  For example, enter 3000 in cell B3, 1800 in cell B4, 60 in cell B5, 60 in cell B6, and zeros in cells B7, B8 and B9.   You will see that the percentages are immediately provided to you.  This section of the spreadsheet must be completed for the formulae to work.

You can use grams, pounds, ounces or tons in the cells, but you must use the SAME dimensions in any given calculations.  Dimensions such as pounds and ounces cannot be mixed.  If you have 5 pounds of flour and 70 ounces of yeast, convert everything to ounces.  This can be done by entering "=5*16" (without quotes), where 5 equals pounds and 16 equals the number of ounces per pounds. If using kilograms and grams, convert everything to grams.

Cell B11 calculates the TOTAL for you automatically.

The section of the spread sheet labeled SCALING allows the user to either increase or decrease a recipe to any extent.  Thus, by entering the amount of Flour you want to use into the cell to the left of the cell labeled "<=Change #", the spreadsheet calculates the amount of each ingredient needed relative to the amount of Flour.  So if you want to use 500 grams, pounds or tons of flour rather than the 3000 of the recipe in the BASIC METHOD Section, scale it here.  Enter 500 in cell F1, and the results are immediately calculated for you.

Cell E11 calculates the TOTAL  for you automatically.

Section three of the spreadsheet is labeled BY WEIGHT, and calculates the percent of any ingredient as a function of the total weight of dough you want to make.  You will see that using the 500 number  in cell D14 above shows that the flour is 60.97% of the total weight, the Water is 36.58% etc.  Alternatively, should you want 500 grams of finished dough, enter 500 in cell D14, and you are immediately rewarded with the amounts of each ingredient necessary, and their percentage in the dough by weight. 

Do not change the value in cell B23, as this is a calculated value.

You may wish to print this page as a reference prior to using the spreadsheet for the first time.  The spreadsheet may be accessed by clicking on the "Spreadsheet" button below. 

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Last updated on: 04/01/14 12:11:25 PM