Converting standard recipes to Bakers Percent?

[PizzaEater]

My attempt to convert a dough recipe to Bakers Percentage from foodtv.com Alton Browns Good Eats.

2 cups bread flour = 9.5 oz = 269.3 g = 100%
3/4 cup warm water= 5.94 oz = 168.3 g = 62.5%
2 tablespoons sugar = .6 oz = 16.8 g = 6.25%
1 tablespoon kosher salt = .3 oz = 8.6 g = 3.2%
1 tablespoon olive oil = .3 oz = 8.6 g = 3.2%
1 teaspoon instant yeast = .1 oz = 2.8 g = 1.05%

I just picked a recipe to practice on, not really interested in if the recipe is good or bad.  Only if my conversion is correct.  I also went on the assumption the bread flour weighs 4.75 oz. per cup and worked from there. 

[Pete-zza]

PizzaEater,

On the assumption that your flour conversion is correct, this is what I get:

2 cups bread flour = 9.5 oz = 269.3 g = 100%
3/4 cup warm water= 6.08 oz = 172.23 g = 64%
2 tablespoons sugar = .84 oz = 23.92 g = 7.98%
1 tablespoon kosher salt = .51 oz = 14.40 g = 5.4% (note: for Morton's coarse Kosher salt)
1 tablespoon olive oil = .49 oz = 14.00 g = 5.2%
1 teaspoon instant yeast = .1 oz = 2.8 g = 1.05%

For water, I assumed 8.1 oz. for a cup. The main differences are for values for sugar, salt and oil. The calculations based on your values were correct, however.

Peter

[PizzaEater]

A big thanks.  I would also assume that if you had a recipe that worked constantly good using volumes instead of weights and didn't know your flour weight you could reverse engineer using water weights (since we know what water weighs) to get your flour weight?

[Pete-zza]

PizzaEater,

If I understand your question correctly, you couldn't do it if all you have is volumes, no matter how great the recipe is. You would need baker's percents or total dough weight. In the latter instance, you would use something like 8.1 ounces per cup of water, convert everything else but flour to weights (using either conversion data or weights measured on a digital scale that can weigh small ingredient amounts), add all the weights (including the water), and subtract the total from the total dough weight. That number would be the weight of flour. It might not be exact because people don't measure out small volumes the same way either. Some will use a heaping or rounded teaspoon or tablespoon, or a scant teaspoon or tablespoon, etc. My conversions would be based on level teaspoons and tablespoons.

Peter