On further reflection, I’m not at all convinced that this would work even remotely with volume measurements. I think the following calculations are right, based on 2+1/2tsp active dry yeast being 8gm, 130ml water being 130gm and 1/2 c all-purpose flour being 66gm:

The same biga in gram measurements:
.04 gm active dry yeast
130 gm water
165 gm unbleached all-purpose flour

which would be (if I’m understanding the percentage thing correctly):

.02% active dry yeast
78% water
100% unbleached all-purpose flour

Percentages based on the weights are quite different from those based on volume measures!

-Elizabeth

P.S. If, instead of the rather inadequate spring loaded scale we own now, I had tons of counter space and a really great accurate scale that would hold our mixing bowl so I could weigh things easily without spilling them everywhere, I’d be a complete and total convert to using weights only. (How’s THAT for a run-on sentence?!)

Question:
Could Baker’s percentage be done with volume measures as well? For instance, I make a biga using:

1/8 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 c + 2 tsp water
1 + 1/4 c unbleached all-purpose flour

(1 c = 16 Tbsp = 48 tsp)

Am I correct with the following calculation?
2% active dry yeast
43% water
100% flour

I’ve never heard of this BP before, though I’ve only recently delved into serious baking and I must say, this is a brilliant concept. Thank you so very much for this post. I’ll now go through all my recipes and calculate them into BPs.

Caramella