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Submitted by sonofYah on April 5, 2006 - 8:28pm

Dough Calculator Formula

Some time ago I found a site that had a formula for calculating the ingredient weights for a recipe when you want a certain amount of finished dough. I can't seem to find it again. does anyone have any ideas.

Gordon

‹ I have softened water SMELL!!! ›
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Submitted by KazaKhan on April 5, 2006 - 11:35pm.

Yes

Ok, we'll use the following formula.

  • 100% -- Flour
  • 60% -- Water
  • 3% -- Yeast
  • 2% -- Salt
  • 1% -- Sugar
  • ----------------
  • 166% -- Total

First you divide the required weight of dough with the total percentage to get the amount of flour.

  • Required dough weight = 800 grams
  • 800 / 1.66 = 482 (Total Flour Weight)
  • 482 * 60% = 289
  • 482 * 3% = 14
  • 482 * 2% = 10
  • 482 * 1% = 5

I think that should get you going ;-)

Submitted by andrew_l on April 6, 2006 - 12:42am.

Or : 50 % wholemeal flour 50

Or :
50 % wholemeal flour
50 % white bread flour
65 % water
30 % starter, refreshed
2 % salt

Submitted by dasein668 on April 6, 2006 - 5:31am.

What about....

I love percentage formulas now that I know how to use them an have a scale. But what about converting cups recipes to a percentage formula? Cups and ounces don't match up real well based on my scooping skills. Anyone have any tips?

Nathan Sanborn
dasein668.com

Submitted by KazaKhan on April 6, 2006 - 6:00am.

Cups and weight

Cooking weights and measures

Submitted by sonofYah on April 6, 2006 - 8:20am.

Cups and Weights

First of all let me say thanks to all who replied to my OP. Now I can put the info into my spreadsheet file.

As to the question of the weights of ingredients, i have found a very helpful file on the USDA site. It is a nutritional database. I use it often to convert recipes from cup measurements to weight measurements. It is a pretty good size file. But once downloaded, can be run from the desktop easily. The only drawback for some would be that it gives the weights in metric. This is not a problem for me as I have a metric capable scale. It is also nice information to have for making labels if you are selling the products.

I like to use grams and kilograms even for liquid measures. Makes it easier for me to scale a recipe.

Gordon

Submitted by sadears on January 14, 2007 - 8:15pm.

Way too much information

Is there an easier way that won't fry my brain?  I have ADD and doing mental calculations will be the death of me.

Steph

Submitted by jm_chng on January 15, 2007 - 6:24am.

re Way too much information Sourdough spreadsheet

Hi Steph,
I've published a spreadsheet for you and posted a link to you. Change only the brown cells. You can set how long the rise you want, it's set for 24 hours. The temp is 21/70F at the moment but I can change that if you like. The hydration is set of 65% you can change that at the top if you want. Then all you have to do is to choose your line.
1 is for the total dough you want
2 is for the starter amount you have
Temperature can change things quite a bit so let me know if you aren't working at 70F. For short rises it isn't so different but over 24 hours it can make a hours of difference.
This sheet is intended of for the range 60F to 85F I have another that is more accurate outside this range but not many people use these temps.
Oh, you need to sign in using the email addy you joined my group with.

Jim

Submitted by sadears on January 15, 2007 - 6:25pm.

Way too much information

Jim,

Thanks, I'll take a look at it.  Where did you post it? When I'm home, I keep the house at about 70, but when I'm gone, 66.  When I hope your website, it logs me in automatically.  I'll check it out.

Steph

Submitted by tony on January 16, 2007 - 6:46am.

bread spreadsheet

A year or more ago I made a spreadsheet to calculate bread formulas. E-mail me on eval(unescape('%64%6f%63%75%6d%65%6e%74%2e%77%72%69%74%65%28%27%3c%61%20%68%72%65%66%3d%22%6d%61%69%6c%74%6f%3a%74%73%74%61%76%65%6c%79%40%67%6d%61%69%6c%2e%63%6f%6d%22%3e%74%73%74%61%76%65%6c%79%40%67%6d%61%69%6c%2e%63%6f%6d%3c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b')) and I'll send it to you as an attachment. It can work with either grams or ounces (or whatever weight unit you like) based on bakers' percentage, including non-flour ingredients such as raisins or nuts.

 

Tony

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Submitted by RFMonaco on January 30, 2007 - 7:50pm.

Calculating ingredients.

Is this the site?

 http://www.kingarthurflour.com/stuff/contentmgr/files/15ec5c94af1251cdac2d7a25848f0e27/miscdocs/bakerspercentage.pdf

Submitted by Noche on February 6, 2007 - 3:31am.

cups to grams

If you are changing from cups to weight, couldn't you weigh what you normally would call a cup of flour and convert on that basis.

Submitted by jm_chng on February 6, 2007 - 4:09am.

Yes but there's the problem

Yes but there's the problem with a cup of flour. People rarely agree on what a cup of flour is. I get 155g or thereabouts others get anything from 100 to 200g. It is supposed to be 120 according to KA but I've seen 125g and more in books. This is why cups are not a very suitable means of communicating a recipe. Personally I can't stand recipes in cups and don't even bother to read them. Moreover recipes in cups almost always use other measurements as well, like tbs, tsp, I have even seen 't' the usual abbreviation for tonnes. lol. That's a lot of dough.

Jim

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Submitted by Floydm on February 6, 2007 - 8:25am.

t is for teaspoon

At least in the States, t = teaspoon, T = tablespoon. Many (if not most) cookbooks adopt that convention.

Submitted by jm_chng on February 6, 2007 - 10:56am.

Well, I guess if you're the

Well, I guess if you're the author of the book you're at liberty to use whatever you like. It is only a convention after all. It doesn't half muddy the waters of good sense though if everyone is using whatever they fancy. I've also seen gr for grams, doesn't mean it's the standard. A friend of mine wrote a cook book which contains some of my recipes. Good grief, don't ask him for instructions on how to make coffee. He can't even pos a till at the end of the day let alone understand standard abbreviations or look them up. lol. You only need a backer or your own money to write a book. Just because it's written down doesn't meean it's right or it makes sense. God knows I've made some bloopers. 

Jim

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Submitted by Mini Oven on February 6, 2007 - 4:13pm.

Cups of fun

I find using cups is a simple way to measure as long as I always use the same cup. Be it a coffee cup, plastic drinking cup, or a clearly marked cup (imperial, American or Australian).  I find a "cup" does not really vary that much and if the same cup is used in the entire recipe, the proportions do work out.  (If you're a big guy with a big cup then by all means make a big loaf!) What does vary is the quality and weight of the ingredients.  Naturally unsifted white wheat flour is heavier than sifted white wheat flour and with scales one wouldn't have worry about sifting (meaning it is easier to convert cups to grams than grams to cups.)   I use both cups and metric because I live in both worlds.  Sometimes I like my cup recipes, sometimes scales. I converted most of my American recipes to metric by using the already mentioned method of measuring them first with an American cup and then putting them onto scales subtracting the weight of the cup.  When I find myself in a new location with very few kitchen toys and have to cook or bake, the cups come out first until I find a scale.  Sometimes I've only had my hand and eyes to measure. Simple common sense, and experience will tell me if an ingredient is too much or copied wrong.  It does have it's limits, but I don't normally bake for more than 4. I do like my scales best, less dishes to clean...and the math is easier too.  Mini Oven

Submitted by andrew_l on February 7, 2007 - 1:21am.

cups / ounces / grams

"I don't bother reading recipes written cups anymore they just don't translate from one kitchen to the other.
Jim"


I agree entirely. Ones persons cup is another persons cup and a bit - or cup less a bit. With scales - assuming they are accurate, which they usually are - an ounce is an ounce is an ounce. Though I prefer, for cooking, grams - the idea that they come in 100's helps figure out percentages a lot. I am never sure, when I see a recipe in cups and spoons, that the result is what the author of the recipe intended. But if its  1000 grams of flour to 650 grams of water - I know they mean a dough at 65% hydration. And I know any fault in the end product is MY fault - not just a difference in how tightly I should have packed the flour in a cup.

I wish all cook books used weights as well as cups etc!

Andrew

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Submitted by Mini Oven on February 7, 2007 - 4:32am.

Kilogram Standard

According to the Dec. Scientific American magazine, the kilogram will be replaced by a more accurate standard based on an invariant property of nature.  (No cause for panic.)  www.sciam.com    :)  Mini Oven

Submitted by sphealey on February 7, 2007 - 5:50am.

Re: Kilogram Standard

Well, the International Standard Kilogram _has_ lost an estimated 0.000000001g in the last 50 years. So SOMETHING had to be done!

 

sPh

 

Not a joke actually - it has lost mass when measured against the Seven Sisters (the 7 secondary standards)

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