Baker's math doesn't have to be intimidating.

In this episode, we're breaking down one of the most misunderstood topics in bread baking into something practical and approachable. We'll walk through baker's percentages, hydration, total formula, mixing-day formula, and pre-fermented flour (PFF)—without getting lost in complicated equations.

Together, we'll build a simple country bread formula step by step, learn how to account for the flour and water in your levain, and scale that recipe into a home-sized loaf you can bake right alongside future episodes.

Whether you've always been confused by percentages or you've been baking for years and want a stronger foundation, this episode will help you read formulas with confidence and understand the language professional bakers use every day.

In this episode we discuss:

What baker's percentages actually mean
Why flour is always 100%
Total hydration vs. mixing-day hydration
Total formula vs. mixing-day formula
How to account for the flour and water in your levain
Understanding pre-fermented flour (PFF)
Scaling a formula for home baking
Answering listener questions on levain, inclusions, and dough weight

Baker's Math Resources:

DOAP Calc - https://calc.getdoap.com/

The Perfect Loaf Membership - https://www.theperfectloaf.com/membership/?utm_source=tpl-internal&utm_content=site-header

sourdough, sourdough bread, baker's math, baker's percentages, hydration, pre-fermented flour, PFF, levain, sourdough starter, bread formula, artisan bread, home baking, bread baking, bread education