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Freshly baked artisan sourdough bread with beautiful open crumb, sliced and displayed with rosemary

FOR HOME BAKERS

The Art of

Perfect Bread

Master baker's percentages. Calculate precise recipes for sourdough, baguettes, focaccia, and beyond.

Begin Your Bake
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Choose Your Style

Select a style for recommended settings, or go custom.

Dough Quantity

Total Dough Weight: 1800g
Quick presets:

Your Recipe

Sourdough Bread

Makes 2 loaves at 900g each (1800g total)

Ingredients (Baker's %)

Water temperature: 78-82°F / 26-28°C

Recommended flour: Bread Flour + Whole Wheat

Instructions

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THE FOUNDATION

Understanding Baker's Percentages

The universal language of bread bakers. Once you understand this system, you can scale any recipe and compare formulas at a glance.

How It Works

In baker's percentages, flour is always 100%. Every other ingredient is expressed as a percentage of the flour weight.

Flour 1000g = 100%
Water (75% hydration) 750g
Salt (2%) 20g
Yeast (1%) 10g
Total Dough 1780g

Why Use It?

  • Scale easily – Double or halve recipes without math errors
  • Compare recipes – Instantly see hydration and ratios
  • Adjust confidently – Tweak one variable without affecting others
  • Learn faster – Understand what makes each bread unique
  • Professional standard – The system used by bakeries worldwide

Common Hydration Levels

55-60%
Bagels, Pretzels
Stiff, easy to shape
62-68%
Sandwich Bread
Soft, tender crumb
70-75%
Sourdough, Baguettes
Open crumb, crisp crust
80-85%
Ciabatta, Focaccia
Very open, irregular holes

ABOUT

The Dough Formula

The Dough Formula was created for home bakers who want to understand the science behind great bread. Whether you're baking your first loaf or perfecting your sourdough, our calculator helps you achieve consistent, delicious results every time.

We believe that understanding baker's percentages is the key to becoming a confident bread baker. Instead of following recipes blindly, you'll learn to read formulas, adjust for your environment, and create your own signature loaves.

This tool is free and always will be. We're passionate about bread and want to share that passion with bakers everywhere. Happy baking! 🌾

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Essential Bread Equipment

The right tools make all the difference

Lodge Combo Cooker

The go-to choice for home bakers. Shallow lid makes loading dough safer and easier.

Escali Primo Scale

NY Times recommended. 11 lb capacity, 1g accuracy, simple two-button operation.

OXO Bench Scraper

Stainless steel blade with measurement markings. Comfortable non-slip grip.

Banneton Basket Set

Round & oval baskets with liners, lame, and scrapers. Premium Indonesian rattan.

UFO Bread Lame

Handcrafted walnut wood handle with secure blade storage. Includes extra blades.

ThermoWorks Thermapen

Pro-grade accuracy in 1 second. Check water temp and bread doneness (190-210°F).

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Frequently Asked Questions