Baker’s Percentage Exercises, Part 1, With Answers

Express each list of ingredients in baker’s percentage.

The exercises without answers are here. The tutorial is here.

Exercise 1

  • 700 g flour
  • 386 g water
  • 50 g egg
  • 28 g fresh yeast
  • 7 g salt

Exercise 1 Answer
Total flour = 700 g

  • Flour 100% (700/700)
  • Water 55% (386/700)
  • Egg 7% (50/700)
  • Fresh yeast 4% (28/700)
  • Salt 1% (7/700)

Exercise 2

  • 2 pounds flour
  • 18 ounces water
  • 2 ounces milk
  • 3 ounces butter
  • 0.16 ounces instant yeast
  • 0.7 ounces salt

Exercise 2 Answer
Total flour = 2 pounds = 32 ounces

  • Flour 100% (32/32)
  • Water 56% (18/32)
  • Milk 6% (2/32)
  • Butter 9% (3/32)
  • Instant yeast 0.5% (0.16/32)
  • Salt 2% (0.7/32)

Exercise 3

  • 500 g white flour
  • 250 g whole wheat flour
  • 250 g spelt flour
  • 700 g water
  • 10 g instant yeast
  • 20 g salt

Exercise 3 Answer
Total flour = 500 g + 250 g + 250 g = 1000 g

  • White flour 50% (500/1000)
  • Whole wheat flour 25% (250/1000)
  • Spelt flour 25% (250/1000)
  • Water 70% (700/1000)
  • Instant yeast 1% (10/1000)
  • Salt 2% (20/1000)

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Post a comment » 7 Comments

  1. linda on November 10 2009 at 03:36 pm:

    flour 80
    water60
    yeast
    flour 20
    water 62
    sugar 10
    salt 2
    shortening 3.75 how to work out the water
    milk solds 3

  2. pauline washington on August 26 2010 at 07:19 am:

    i would just like to know in terms of how many cups is those grams of flour and how many cups for water like

  3. ron on October 4 2010 at 06:26 am:

    In exercise # 2, I get 1% Yeast .16 divided by 32=.16

    Which is consistent with the salt percentage.
    You have approximately twice as much salt.

  4. Susan on October 4 2010 at 09:38 am:

    Ron, .16 divided by 32 is .005, which is 0.5%. The salt is about 4 times the yeast.

  5. Krista on October 29 2011 at 11:11 pm:

    thanks!!! I think you’ve just saved me on my baking exam…….. I’m a culinary student who doesn’t quite get this baking thing, at least the mathematical part. Have you ever thought of working on a text book? The ones that are required (“On Cooking” and “On Baking” from Pearson) are so dry and confusing in many areas. Maybe you could put a logical spin on things for a change! Thanks again!!

  6. Jennifred on September 21 2012 at 03:16 pm:

    Thank you for this explanation! This opens up a whole new way of looking at baking. I love that we can mix up any size batch we want with a kitchen scale and a calculator:) (Now maybe I should get another Kitchen Aid…wore out the last one and am back to hand kneading…which isn’t a bad thing. It keeps your abs toned!)

  7. Suzanne on February 21 2013 at 10:24 pm:

    I would like to make 800 gr. Loaves of bread. How do I figure that out with the ingredients?

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