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Rose - bakers' percentages.

Nifcon@aol.com
Thu, 9 Oct 2003 12:28:57 EDT
v103.n044.17
Rose:

Baker's' percentages are not really percentages they are ratios.

The often quoted example of the Paris baguette which is usually; given as 
100/60/2/2 of flour/water/salt/fresh yeast is saying that the bread 
contains the ingredients in those ratios and it's only because convention 
dictates that the flour weight should be expressed as 100 that percentages 
come into  the picture. The recipe could easily be specified as 50/30/1/1.

Also the benefits of calculating in ratios is only really apparent when 
you're using metric weights. A kilo of flour, as an example of a starting 
point I often use, just gives rise to weights of 1000/600/20/20 grams of 
flour,water, salt and yeast.. Avoirdupois weights being binary in nature do 
not map well onto ratios. If you wanted to make the recipe with, for 
example 2 pounds flour, you have 2lb, 1lb 3 1/4 oz,  5/8 oz, 5/8 oz rounded 
as close as possible. It is not immediately apparent what ratio underlies 
these weights.

Get off your soapbox, John, cry the list!

John