Bread baking guides
Practical explanations of baker’s math, sourdough, fermentation and costing.
Key pages
How to read baker’s percentages
Flour is 100% and every other ingredient is expressed against total flour weight.
How to calculate dough hydration
Include the flour and water contributed by starter or preferment.
How to scale a bread recipe
Use one scale factor and preserve every ingredient ratio.
Understanding sourdough feeding ratios
A 1:2:2 feed means one part ripe starter, two parts flour and two parts water by weight.
How to build an exact levain amount
Add the reserve you want, then split the total according to the chosen ratio.
How to plan fermentation without guessing
A schedule is a plan; dough readiness still depends on behaviour, temperature and expansion.
Dough and water temperature
Water temperature is one of the easiest variables to adjust before mixing.
How much salt should bread contain?
Calculate salt against total flour and follow the formula and dietary needs that apply to you.
Fresh and dry yeast conversion
Conversions vary by yeast type and brand, so the result is an estimate.
How much dough fits a bread pan?
A reliable home method is to scale a proven dough weight by pan volume.
How to calculate the cost of a loaf
Include flour, extras, energy, packaging, labour and waste.
How to keep a useful bake journal
Record only the variables that help repeat success or explain a change.
How to use this hub
First run a calculation with example data, then enter your own weights and record the result in a local journal. Guides explain assumptions and methodology documents formulas.