Perfect Pizza Calculator

Baker's percentage is the universal system professional bakers use to express recipes. Flour is always 100%, and all other ingredients are expressed as a percentage of the flour weight. This system makes scaling trivial and allows bakers to communicate recipes independently of batch size. Hydration (water as a percentage of flour) is the most important variable in pizza dough. Lower hydration (55-60%) produces stiffer, easier-to-handle dough suitable for thin, crispy crusts. Medium hydration (60-68%) is the sweet spot for Neapolitan and New York styles, giving a balance of workability and open crumb. High hydration (70-85%) creates wet, sticky dough that produces airy, irregular crumb structures typical of Detroit, Sicilian, and some artisan styles. Flour type profoundly affects the result. Italian Tipo 00 flour (protein content 11-13%) creates the silky, elastic dough prized for Neapolitan pizza. American bread flour (12-14% protein) provides more structure for New York style. All-purpose flour (10-12% protein) works but produces a less chewy crust. Higher protein absorbs more water, so hydration percentages should be adjusted based on flour type. Salt typically ranges from 2-3% of flour weight. It strengthens gluten, controls yeast activity, and provides flavor. Too little salt produces bland, slack dough; too much inhibits yeast and makes the crust tough. Yeast quantity depends on fermentation time. For a same-day dough (4-6 hours), use about 1-2% instant yeast. For a 24-hour cold ferment (refrigerator), reduce to 0.1-0.5%. Long fermentation develops more complex flavors through lactic and acetic acid production. Professional pizzerias often use 48-72 hour cold fermentation with minimal yeast. Olive oil (0-5% of flour) adds tenderness and flavor. Neapolitan purists omit oil entirely, while New York and American styles include 2-5%. Oil interferes slightly with gluten development, so higher oil percentages produce more tender, less chewy crusts. Dough ball weight determines pizza size: 200-220g for a 10-inch pizza, 250-280g for 12-inch, and 300-350g for 14-inch, assuming similar thickness. Thicker styles like Detroit use more dough per unit of surface area.