Lessons E03 Baker's Math Made Simple | Understanding Hydration, Levain & Bread Formulas

Send us a question or voice memo!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 weightBaker'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-headersourdough, 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