Problem with dough calculator

[Nwin]

So I just had a Eureka moment.

I've been using the 123 Pizza recipe found here with varying success:  https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=27591.0

In that recipe, he calls for a 16" pie using his percentages, and suggests to use the dough calculator for rounding up/changing sizes.

I can't do a 16" pie-my baking steel is just about that size, but I usually try for between a 12-14" pie (I have a blackstone in addition to the steel, so prefer pies 14" or less).

Anyways, just figured out my problem.  I've been calculating my dough recipe by thickness, and just been using the general guideline the calculator suggests .1-.105.

When I enter in .1 and use all his percentages, for a 12" pie (even with just a .085 thickness factor), I get:

320g for the flour for a 12" pie, where his flour for a 16" pie is 289.69...there's something wrong here, and I just realized it.  I figured I should dial the yeast back or something, but I'm way off from the beginning on flour to start with.

I've been making this recipe for a year or so, intermittently, and the dough always came out way too thick and I'd have to cut some off...turn out I think my problem is that I'm not using the calculator correctly.

On to the actual question...

For a 16" pie, he says use 289.69g flour.  I don't want a 16" pie, but 12 or 14" pies.

Since I do NOT know the thickness factor, how can I calculate the proper amount of flour to use to get the desired pie size?

Edit:  Also, the dough calculator says this:

For those who are interested, for a round pizza with a radius R, the TF equals the weight of the desired dough ball divided by Pi (3.14159) x R2; for a rectangular/square pizza with length and width dimensions L x W, the TF equals the weight of the dough ball divided by L x W.

So using that, it's confusing:

TF = 484.51/(3.14159*8^2)
=484.51/201.06176
=2.409

Is that really meaning to input a thickness factor for 2.409?  That doesn't make any sense.

[vtsteve]

The TF formula has the dough weight in ounces -- it was an early creation, before metric was so popular on the site.

[Essen1]

14" Pizza

Flour (100%): Water (61%): IDY (.5%): Salt (1.75%): Oil (3%): Sugar (1%): Total (167.25%):

224.01 g  |  7.9 oz | 0.49 lbs 136.65 g  |  4.82 oz | 0.3 lbs 1.12 g | 0.04 oz | 0 lbs | 0.37 tsp | 0.12 tbsp 3.92 g | 0.14 oz | 0.01 lbs | 0.7 tsp | 0.23 tbsp 6.72 g | 0.24 oz | 0.01 lbs | 1.49 tsp | 0.5 tbsp 2.24 g | 0.08 oz | 0 lbs | 0.56 tsp | 0.19 tbsp 374.66 g | 13.22 oz | 0.83 lbs | TF = 0.08585

12" Pizza

Flour (100%): Water (61%): IDY (.5%): Salt (1.75%): Oil (3%): Sugar (1%): Total (167.25%):

164.58 g  |  5.81 oz | 0.36 lbs 100.39 g  |  3.54 oz | 0.22 lbs 0.82 g | 0.03 oz | 0 lbs | 0.27 tsp | 0.09 tbsp 2.88 g | 0.1 oz | 0.01 lbs | 0.52 tsp | 0.17 tbsp 4.94 g | 0.17 oz | 0.01 lbs | 1.1 tsp | 0.37 tbsp 1.65 g | 0.06 oz | 0 lbs | 0.41 tsp | 0.14 tbsp 275.26 g | 9.71 oz | 0.61 lbs | TF = 0.08585

[Pete-zza]

The TF formula has the dough weight in ounces -- it was an early creation, before metric was so popular on the site.

Steve,

I derived the calculation years ago, from Tom Lehmann, at the PMQ Think Tank. I have never seen a metric version.

Peter

[Nwin]

14" Pizza

Flour (100%): Water (61%): IDY (.5%): Salt (1.75%): Oil (3%): Sugar (1%): Total (167.25%):

224.01 g  |  7.9 oz | 0.49 lbs 136.65 g  |  4.82 oz | 0.3 lbs 1.12 g | 0.04 oz | 0 lbs | 0.37 tsp | 0.12 tbsp 3.92 g | 0.14 oz | 0.01 lbs | 0.7 tsp | 0.23 tbsp 6.72 g | 0.24 oz | 0.01 lbs | 1.49 tsp | 0.5 tbsp 2.24 g | 0.08 oz | 0 lbs | 0.56 tsp | 0.19 tbsp 374.66 g | 13.22 oz | 0.83 lbs | TF = 0.08585

12" Pizza

Flour (100%): Water (61%): IDY (.5%): Salt (1.75%): Oil (3%): Sugar (1%): Total (167.25%):

164.58 g  |  5.81 oz | 0.36 lbs 100.39 g  |  3.54 oz | 0.22 lbs 0.82 g | 0.03 oz | 0 lbs | 0.27 tsp | 0.09 tbsp 2.88 g | 0.1 oz | 0.01 lbs | 0.52 tsp | 0.17 tbsp 4.94 g | 0.17 oz | 0.01 lbs | 1.1 tsp | 0.37 tbsp 1.65 g | 0.06 oz | 0 lbs | 0.41 tsp | 0.14 tbsp 275.26 g | 9.71 oz | 0.61 lbs | TF = 0.08585

This is awesome-how did you get there?  By converting ounces to grams, then solving for TF?

[vtsteve]

Steve,

I derived the calculation years ago, from Tom Lehmann, at the PMQ Think Tank. I have never seen a metric version.

Peter

I merely meant before it was common for members to use grams for ingredient and dough weights -- recipes in lb. and oz. are a lot less common today, although inches linger on...

[Essen1]

This is awesome-how did you get there?  By converting ounces to grams, then solving for TF?

No.

There's nothing to convert. The calculator does it for you.

Took Scott123's formula, plugged the numbers in but specified the size to 12" & 14" and TF at 0.085. Very simple if you spend a little time with the calculator.

People on here tend to over-analyze things on occasion when the solution and answer is actually right in front of them.

[jkb]

I merely meant before it was common for members to use grams for ingredient and dough weights -- recipes in lb. and oz. are a lot less common today, although inches linger on...

And that's why we all know 28.35, although I may have committed that number to memory for other reasons prior to my interest in pizza making.

[TXCraig1]

I hate recipes written in oz and never knowing if the liquid measurements are mass or volume.

[jkb]

I hate recipes written in oz and never knowing if the liquid measurements are mass or volume.

Me too.  Food, gas and driving are the last imperial holdouts.  Academically and professionally, I've been mks since the '70s.