BSHM 131

CHAPTER 4 – PRINCIPLES OF BAKING

Weighing and Measuring in Baking

BAKERY MATH is important in the daily
operations of a bakery or in product research and
development. It is a set of tools every professional baker
use to keep consistent quality in their products. It is also
designed to help in controlling costs, adapting and
improving formulations, and ensuring profits.

MEASUREMENTS OF WEIGHT EQUIVALENTS

BAKER’S PERCENTAGE Product Costing:
 refers to the ratio of the amount of an ingredient In bakery operations, product costing is a basic tool that
to the total amount of flour. Total flour is always helps the bakery owner be knowledgeable about the
equal to 100% since it is the main ingredient in all internal cost incurred in the production of baked products.
baked products. It helps determine the cost per ingredients, how many
 The 100% also applies even if there are two kinds pieces can be produced and selling price per piece.
of flour. With flour as a constant at 100%, you can
make small adjustments on the formula without Base: 1,000g
changing the percent of every ingredient. To get the PRICE PER GRAM:
When using baker’s percentage, you can: RICE/g = PRICE per KG/base
 Take any formula in percent and change it to any
unit measurement To get the COST PER GRAM:
 Make any batch of dough based on orders of a COST/g = PRICE per g X base
numbers of pieces.
 Minimize the task of reformulating when changes
are needed.
 Scale up the formula for large production or scale
it down for a test batch

Converting Recipes to Baker’s Percentage

Baker’s Note:
 The “Base” is the amount of the flour.
 The “Given” in the formula is the weight of each
 ingredient.
 Percent (%) is always equal to 100.

To get the recipe ingredients measurement from baker’s

percentage to grams.
FORMULA:
GIVEN BAKER’S PERCENT% x BASE =grams
100 To get the Unit Price per piece:
Unit Price = Material Cost / Number of pieces
Base: 1,000g
Material Cost: Php 55.78
Unit price/piece: material cost = Php55.78 = Php 0.96 or
Php 1.00
Number of pieces: 58 pcs

How to get the selling price per piece?

 Overhead cost – refers to all non-labor expenses
(Fixed expenses, Variable expenses). Includes
accounting fees, rent, supplies, taxes)
 Indirect cost – are costs that are not directly
accountable to a cost subject (such as a particular
project, facility, function or product)
To check, if your answer is correct: GRAMS / BASE x  Mark up cost – is the ration between the cost of a
100% good service and its selling price. It is expressed as
a percentage over the cost.
To get the recipe ingredients measurement from grams to
percentage.
FORMULA:
Gram / base x percent = baker’s percent

Php 3.00 (selling price) x 58 (pcs) = 174

174 – 55.78 = 118.22 PROFIT
 CHAPTER 4.2
MIXING METHODS AND TECHNIQUES
BASIC MIXING METHODS AND TECHNIQUES
Flour mixture for baked products requires different mixing
methods for the best products.
1. SIFTING – this process separates coarse particles in
the ingredients like flour and sugar by passing these
through a sieve. In this process air is incorporated.
2. CREAMING – this is the technique of rubbing
ingredients against a bowl with the help of wooden
spoon or an electric mixer.
3. KNEADING – this process involves pressing,
stretching, foldin of dough to develop gluten.
4. STIRRING – this is often done with a wooden spoon
rotating it through a mixture as long as necessary
until the ingredients are combined.
5. BEATING – this process incorporates air into the
mixture by mechanical agitation.
6. WHIPPING – eggs and cream are usually whipped
to fill them with air and make them thick and fluffy.
7. CUT AND FOLD – this is a combination of cutting
vertically into mixture with a rubber scraper or spoon
and turning over, and by gliding the spoon across the
butter of the mixing bowl at each turn.
8. FOLDING – this is working with 2 ingredients very
gently to retain air in the mix. Folding is most
efficiently done by hand although many people use
an electric mixer or the rubber scraper.
9. CUTTING IN – this process is the mixing of solid fat
to flour with the use of a pastry blender or two knives
in a scissor-like manner.
BASIC DOUGH MIXING METHODS
• STRAIGHT DOUGH METHOD
• SPONGE AND DOUGH METHOD
• NO-TIME DOUGH METHOD
• STRAIGHT DOUGH REMIX
I. STRAIGHT DOUGH METHOD
How it works?
 Single step mixing process where all dough
ingredients are placed in the mixing bowl and
then mixed.
 The dough is mixed until developed.
 Dough is allowed to undergo fermentation before
make up (shaping).
 Mixing time: 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the
type of bread. Sweet dough takes longer to mix
 Fermentation time: 1 to 2 hours (lean dough); 30
minutes to one hour (sweet dough)
ADVANTAGES:
• Reduced processing time (fermentation)
• Reduced floor space
• Reduced equipment since it uses only one mixer
• Reduced labor (less handling)
• Excellent fermentation flavor and aroma
DISADVANTAGES
• Slightly higher ingredients costs
• No chance to correct mistake since it involves one
mixing stage
• Longer mixing time
• Poor fermentation tolerance and schedule
disruptions
II. SPONGE AND DOUGH METHOD
How it works?
 Two step mixing and fermentation process to
produce a sponge and dough mixture.
 The first mixing stage involves making a sponge
by adding 30 to 70 percent of the total flour weight
(depending on the product type) to the water and
yeast. It is mixed to combine then fermented.
 Sponge mixing time:4 to 6 minutes
 Desire sponge temperature: 23º to 26º C
 Sponge fermentation time: 2 ½ to 4 hours
 The second mixing stage involves putting back the
sponge into the mixing bowl and adding the rest
of the flour, water and remaining ingredients to
make the final dough.
 Dough is given flour time to allow it to recover from
the stress created during mixing.
 Desired dough temperature: 26º to 29ºC
ADVANTAGES:
• Better tolerance to schedule delays.
• Second chances to correct mistakes since there is
another round of mixing fermentation period
• Better loaf volume
• Longer shelf life
• Increase fermentation flavor
• Superior grain and texture of softness retention
DISADVANTAGES
• Poor mixing tolerance
• Increase fermentation loss
• More equipment and maintenance
• Extra handling and manpower
III. NO – TIME DOUGH METHOD
How it works?
 Similar to straight dough method but reduces or
skips the fermentation process and proceeds to
make-up operations, panning and baking.
 The dough is mix to full development.
 No floor time. (periods when the dough is awaiting
further processing)
 Bread improvers with oxidizing agents are added
with the yeast to help counter the characteristic of
young dough, which happens when there is no
fermentation time. Oxidizing agents also give finer
grain with thinner cells walls.
 Short rest time is given to allow the dough to
recover from the mixing and for bread improvers
to react.
 Desired dough temperature:25º to 28ºC
ADVANTAGES
• Saving in time
• Eliminates use of fermentation room
• Increased dough yield
• Better control of production
• Lower maintenance and energy costs
• Less equipment used so it is deal for small
bakeries with a limited working area.
DISADVANTAGES
• Erratic shop performance
• Poor tolerance to schedule disruptions
• Absence of fermentation flavor and aroma
• Poor shelf life

IV. STRAIGHT DOUGH REMIX METHOD
How it works?
 Dough is partially developed, fermented (one
hour) then remixed. It is then passed trough the
dough roller.
 Loaf bread can be molded after remixing.
 Sweet dough is rested for 15 to 30 minutes.
 This is an old practice in the Philippine bakeries
and is derived from the straight dough method.
BASIC CAKE MIXING METHODS
The mixing methods depends on the type of cake being
made. Butter type cakes are usually mixed using the
creaming method while foam - type cakes using the
creaming method while foam type cakes use the foaming
allowing are the mixing methods based on actual
commercial baking industry practice in the Philippines.
BATTER-TYPE CAKES
ALL - IN OR SINGLE STAGE METHOD
 The simplest mixing method for cake batter.
 It requires a cake emulsifier.
 The process involves placing all liquid ingredients.
It is then whipped at various speeds with shorter
mixing time.
Advantages
• Very fast and simple mixing procedure shorter
mixing procedure
• Shorter mixing time
• Highly effective and mechanically incorporating air
into batter
• Less labor and time required
• All ingredients are added at once
Cake Type
• Butter Cake
• Sponge Cake
CREAMING METHOD
 The standard cake mixing method using butter or
shortening. Also known as the conventional
method.
 The first stage involves creaming (beating) the
butter and sugar together.
 The second stage is adding the wet (in two parts)
ingredients alternately, starting and ending with
dry.
Advantages
• Better aeration of the batter (better volume and
finer cells)
• Produces finished product with very good volume.
Disadvantages
• Very time consuming and labor intensive
• Complex mixing procedure
• Very low productivity
Cake Type
• Butter cake, pound cake, high – ratio cake and
devil’s food cake
BLENDING METHOD
 The flour and shortening are mixed until the flour
is coated with fat.
 Eggs are added and mixed at medium speed.
 Bowl is scraped down as needed and mixed until
smooth.
 The rest of the wet ingredients are added and
mixed at low speed until smooth.
Advantages
• very much shorter mixing time than creaming
method
• Able to produce tender cake even when higher
protein flour is used
• Finish product is tender and has smooth and fine
crumb structure.
Disadvantages
• Finished product is usually lower in volume than
those made from other methods.
• Time consuming and labor intensive
• Complex mixing procedure
• Low productivity
Cake Type
• Batter – type cakes
MULTI – STAGE METHOD
 The practice involves adding and mixing the liquids
in the three stages.
 First, all dry ingredients are loaded into the mixing
bowl then 50 percent of the total liquids are added
and mixed by using a paddle attachment. It is then
mix at low speed.
 For second stage mixing, 20 percent of the
remaining liquids are added and mixed at a low
speed.
 For the last stage, the remaining liquids are added
and mix. Same mixing time and speed as first
stage.
 This method is used for lesser chances of lumping
in the butter.
Advantages
• All dry ingredients are handled in one stage.
• Multiple additions of liquid reduce of lumping
• The finished products are usually more resilient.
• Less fragile
• Good for finish products that requires long distance
transportation
Disadvantages
• Finish product can be tough and chewy.
• Longer and more complex mixing procedure than
single stage method
• Multiple additions of liquid can be very
inconvenient and bulky to handle for large – scale
production.
Cake Type
• Banana cake
• High ratio cake
CONTINIOUS MIXING METHOD
 For large bakery production wherein ingredients
are pre-scaled and pre-blended in batch form.
 The process Is to blend all the ingredients into a
slummy using a slurry mixer
 High efficiency mixing greatly reduces the mixing
time.
 Less energy required compared to the batch type
mixers.
  High productivity automatic controls help to
eliminate human errors
 Less operator dependent than batch mixing
methods
 Batters produced are more consistent and
homogenous
 Uniform in finish products quality
Disadvantages
• Higher initial investment cost than batch mixers
• More machineries and parts to clean and maintain
• Additional cost to purchase compressed air
Cake Type
• Chiffon cake
• Sponge cake
• Batter-type cakes

FOAM-TYPE CAKES
STANDARD SPONGE ALL IN METHOD WITH
EMULSIFIER
How it works?
 Similar to the all-in method for cake batter. It also
requires a cake emulsifier.
 All ingredients (except milk and oil) are placed in
the mixing bowl and whipped from low to high to
low speed.
 Milk and oil are folded gently at the end of mixing.

Advantages
 More convenient than traditional sponge methods
 Cake batter stability
 More efficient production