Baking Calculator

Baker's percentage expresses each ingredient as a percentage of the flour weight, with flour always being 100%. For a recipe with 500g flour and 350g water: water = 350÷500×100 = 70%. This makes recipes scalable—double the flour, double everything else. It's the universal language of professional bakers because it works regardless of batch size and makes comparing recipes easy.

Hydration is the ratio of water to flour by weight: (water weight ÷ flour weight) × 100. Low hydration (55-65%) gives tight crumb like bagels and pretzels. Medium hydration (65-75%) is standard sandwich bread. High hydration (75-85%) creates open, airy crumb like ciabatta. Very high (85%+) makes focaccia and pizza. Higher hydration = more difficult to handle but airier, more irregular holes.

Calculate the area ratio between pans: (new pan area ÷ original pan area). For round pans: area = π × radius². A 9-inch round has area 63.6 sq in; an 8-inch has 50.3 sq in. To go from 9 to 8 inch: 50.3÷63.6 = 0.79, so use 79% of ingredients. For rectangles, just multiply length × width. Always compare areas, not diameters—a 12-inch pan isn't double a 6-inch, it's 4× the area.

The conversion ratios: Active dry = 1× (baseline), Instant = 0.75× active dry, Fresh = 3× active dry. So 10g active dry = 7.5g instant = 30g fresh yeast. Instant yeast can go directly into dry ingredients; active dry should be proofed in warm water (105-110°F) first. Fresh yeast needs refrigeration and has shorter shelf life but some bakers prefer its subtle flavor.

Cup measurements can vary by 20-30% depending on how you scoop. One cup of flour could weigh 120g (sifted) or 155g (packed). Weight is consistent—200g flour is always 200g flour. This matters especially in baking where ratios determine texture. Professional bakers always weigh. A kitchen scale costs $10-20 and instantly improves consistency. For liquids, 1ml water = 1g, so weight works for everything.