INTRODUCTION
THERE HAVE BEEN A GREAT DEAL OF PROGRESS IN THE METHOD USEDTO CONSTRUCT BREAD FORMULAS. MANY YEARS AGO BREAD FORMULAS WEREEXPRESSED IN PAIL, BUCKET OR GALLON METHOD. TODAY, FORMULAS AREEXPRESSED IN PERCENTAGES, AND IS REFERRED TO AS THE BAKER'S PERCENTAGEMETHOD. THEN THE FORMULA IS CONVERTED TO POUNDS AND OUNCES. THEMETHOD USED TO ACCOMPLISH THIS WILL BE DEMONSRTATED. WHEN EXPRESSINGFORMULAS IN THE PERCENTAGE SYSTEM, 100 POUNDS OF FLOUR ALWAYSREPRESENT 100 PERCENT. PERCENTAGES OF ALL THE OTHER INGREDIENTSARE BASED ON THE FLOUR. ALTHOUGH IT IS CONFUSING TO MOST PEOPLE,IT IS A VERY ACCURATE METHOD AS YOU WILL SEE. WITH THIS METHODTHE AMOUNT OF INGREDIENT NECESSARY TO PRODUCE A GIVEN AMOUNT OFBREAD CAN BE CALCULATED RIGHT DOWN TO POUNDS AND FRACTIONS OFOUNCES. THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXAMPLE OF A WHITE BREAD FORMULA USINGTHE BAKER'S PERCENTAGE METHOD:
INGREDIENT PERCENT Bread flour 100Water, variable 60Yeast, compressed 2Salt 2Sugar 5Shortening 5Milk, dry, nonfat 6 ------------TOTAL FORMULA PERCENT 180
Construction of a bread formula to determine pounds and ouncesof each ingredient to use to produce 500 pounds of bread. Note:Dough losses weight by giving off gasses and moisture and by asmall amount of dough that sticks to the mixer. This amount ofloss averages about 2 percent. Dough also losses weight duringthe proofing, baking and cooling. This loss usually average about11 percent. These losses must be taken into consideration whenconstructing a bread formula. The total percentage loss equals13 percent.
The following example explains how to take the above losses intoconsideration when determining the exact weight of each ingredientto use in the formula to produce a certain amount of bread:
1. Pounds of bread required=500 pounds.
2. 100% = ( Total percentage of ingredients to use to produce500 pounds of bread ).
3 Total loss = 13 %.
a. 100% - 13% = 87% after loss. This is the net percentage ofbread ( 500 ) that can be roduced from 100% of ingredients.
b. To find how much 100% ingredients equals, it is necessary todivide 500 pounds of baked bread by 87%. This is referred to asthe amount of dough required to produce 500 pounds of bread. Note:Remember that when using percentages, you must move the decimalpoint two points to the left.
Example:
c. 500 pounds of bread required divided by .87= 574.71 poundsof ingredients to use in the formula.
d. 574.71 pounds of ingredients divided by the total formula percent( 180% ) =319.28 pounds of flour to use.
e. Since all ingredients in the formula are based on the flour,the percent of each ingredient is multiplied times the poundsof flour in the formula.
Example:
Ingredient PoundsFlour ( 100% ) = 319.28Water ( 60% times 319.93 pounds of flour ) = 191.57Yeast ( 2% times 319.93 ) = 6.40SALT ( 2% times 319.93 ) = 6.40Sugar ( 5% times 319.93 ) = 16.00Shortening ( 5 % times 319.93 ) = 16.00 Milk, dry nonfat ( 6 % times 319.93 ) = 19.20 ----------------- Total pounds of ingredients = 574.71
Note: The above computations shows that the baker's method offormula construction is a very accurate method. The 574.71 totalpounds is easily converted to pounds and ounces as follows: The.71 pounds is converted to ounces by multiplying the .71 times16 ( 16 ounces in a pound ) =11.36 ounces . To change .36 of anounce to fractions of an ounce multiply the .36 times 16 = 53/4ounces. Total pounds of ingredients = 574 lbs 113/4 ounces.
Note: For all practical purposes, the pounds of flour would berounded off to 575 pounds. The 191.57 pounds of water would alsobe rounded off to an even 191 or 192 pounds. All other ingredientshowever would be scaled to the closest fraction of an ounce.
Note: The above formula would be used as it is in the straightdough method of mixing. It can easily be converted to the sponge-and-doughmethod.
Converting the straight dough formula to a sponge-and-dough formula.First the baker must decide what percentage of the flour in thestraight dough formula will go into the sponge dough formula.This varies with the strength of the flour and with a flour havinga relatively high protein content. Also if the protein is of verygood quality, 75% of the formula flour would go into the sponge,and 25% would go into the dough. The amount varies depending onseveral factors, and through experience, the baker can determinewhat percentages produce the best results. Other percentage ratioscan be used such as 60/40,70/30, etc. The bakers percentage systemof formula computation applies as well to the sponge and doughmethod as it does to the straight dough method. In the followingexample, a 70/30 ratio will be used. Proceed as follows:
SpongeIngredients PercentageFlour 70% ( based on the total flour in the formula )Water, variable 60% ( based on the sponge flour only )Yeast, compressed 2% ( based on the total flour of sponge and dough ) DoughFlour 30 ( based on total flour in the formula)Water, variable 60 ( based on dough flour only )Salt 2 ( based on total flour in the formula )Sugar 5 ( based on total flour in the formula )Shortening 5 ( based on total flour in the formula )Milk, dry nonfat 6 ( based on total flour in the formula )
Note: To simplify things, none of the optional ingredients wereused in the demonstration. If they were used, the mineral yeastfood and the emulsifier would have gone in the sponge and themold inhibitor would have gone in the dough. The malt cereal sirupusually goes into the sponge.
Note: At this time it is a good idea to mention why water is alwayslisted as variable in bread formulas. That is because no two flourhas the same absorption quality. Only experience will determinethis. This usually changes each time a new shipment of flour isreceived.
CONVERTING THE ABOVE STRAIGHT DOUGH FORMULA FOR PRODUCING 574.71POUNDS OF DOUGH TO THE SPONGE-AND-DOUGH METHOD WILL BE DEMONSTRATEDNEXT. PROCEED AS FOLLOWS:
Sponge Ingredients Ingredients Percentage Weight of Flour Weight of IngredientsFlour 70% times 319.28 = 223.49 # of flour Water 60% times 223.45 = 134.09 # of Water Yeast, compressed 2% times 319.28 = 6.40 # of YeastTotal weight of ingredients going into the sponge = 363.98 pounds Dough Ingredients Ingredients Percentage Weight of Flour Weight of ingredientsFlour 30 % times 319. 28 = 95.78 # of FlourWater 60 % times 95.78 = 57.47 # of WaterSalt 2% times 319.28 = 6.40 # of SaltSugar 5% times 319.28 = 16.00 # of SugarShortening 5% times 319.28 = 16.00 # of Short.Milk, non fat dry 6% times 319.28 = 19.20 # of Milk --------------------Total weight of ingredients going into the dough = 210.85 poundsTotal weight of ingredients going into the sponge = 363.98 poundsTotal weight of ingredients going into the dough = 210.85 poundsTotal weight of ingredients in sponge and dough = 574.77 pounds
Note: Due to rounding off of fractions, the formula is off only0.06 of an ounce which is less than one ounce.
Mixing the sponge. Prepare the ingredients for the sponge in accordancewith information contained in Part Two, Principles of Bread Production.
1. Temper the water.
2. Mix the sponge only about 3 or 4 minutes because full glutendevelopment is not required at this time.
3. Have the sponge come out of the mixer at 76 degrees F. ratherthan 80 degrees F for the dough. Sponges ferment for several hours,therefore the temperature rise during fermentation will remainin the alcoholic fermentation range.
Note: When the sponge is returned to the mixer after it has gonethrough the fermentation stage, to be remixed with the dough ingredients,the dough must be mixed until the gluten has been fully developed( as explained in Part Two, Principles of Bread Production ).The dough temperature should be about 80 degrees F when it comesout of the mixer.
This completes part three on Bread Formulas and Bread FormulaConstruction. Today people are demanding a variety in foods, part four- Variety Breads will help you to meet this demand. Part five- Basic sweet dough and Danish pastries. Part sixand part seven will include photographsof Willie Prejean demonstrating make-up procedures for sweet rolls,Danish pastries and coffee cakes.