The Loafly Day Blog · Vol. 1
Field notes
from the bakery
Deep dives on baker's maths, hydration, fermentation, and the craft of bread, written for bakers who want the maths behind the magic.
In this volume
- No.01
No. 01 7 min read
The Master's Ratio: A Deep Dive into Baker's Maths and Recipe Scaling
Why professional bakers express every ingredient as a percentage of flour, and how that single rule lets you scale any formula, predict any crumb, and troubleshoot any failed bake.
baker's mathshydrationsourdoughrecipe scaling
Read the piece - No.02
No. 02 8 min read
Beyond the Bottle: Decoding Free vs. Bound Water in Bread Hydration
Hydration is more than a single number. Learn how soakers, porridges and scalds change the water your dough actually feels, and how to use bassinage to control it.
hydrationsoakersporridgesbassinagesourdough
Read the piece - No.03
No. 03 9 min read
Beyond Protein %: Why the W Value Tells You How a Flour Will Actually Bake
Protein percentage is a crude proxy for flour performance. The W value, the P/L ratio, damaged starch and pentosans tell the real story behind hydration capacity and gluten strength.
flourW valuealveographhydrationgluten
Read the piece - No.04
No. 04 9 min read
Decoding Bulk Fermentation: Why Time Lies and Temperature Tells the Truth
The classic "let it double" instruction fails most kitchens. Three variables (temperature, rise and stopping distance) decide when bulk is actually done. Includes a Q10 predictor and a 9-indicator readiness check.
bulk fermentationtemperaturealiquot jarsourdoughproofing
Read the piece - No.05
No. 05 8 min read
The Monheim Salt-Sour Process: How 2% Salt Saved German Bakers a 24-Hour Workday
In 1958 a German baker discovered that adding 2% salt to his rye sour produced the same balanced flavor as a three-stage build, in one step. The Monheimer Salzsauer-Verfahren explained for home bakers.
ryesourdough methodsmonheimsalt sourgerman baking
Read the piece - No.06
No. 06 8 min read
How to Taste Your Own Bread: The Weinheim Method for Home Bakers
In 2014 the Akademie Deutsches Bäckerhandwerk published a 10-step tasting protocol and a shared vocabulary of about 150 words. It's the method Germany's 279 Brot-Sommeliers use, and it works just as well over a home loaf on a Sunday morning.
bread tastingweinheim methodbrotspracheDLG scoresensory evaluation
Read the piece
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