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Getting Started
Getting Started
Information & guidance on what’s included in the sheet
How to guides
As you enter data into the sheet, be that Recipe/Baker reference, Weights, Times, Temperature, Notes, etc. All items included in the recipe & associated Flour, Main ingredients, Hydrations & Preferment percentages, will be highlighted.
There are built-in recipe names & bakers to select from a drop-down list. You can rename these or create your own. The sheet will keep them all in alphabetical order in the drop downs. If you follow one simple rule!
You press Ctrl-alt-F5 TWICE!! Each time you add, change or delete a recipe name or baker name in the recipe builder section. This allows the sheet to update all associated background formulas.
A selection filter (“Select Filter”) is built into the sheet to exclude non-essential recipe sections & ingredients.
Printing in PDF format allows you to transfer a readable version onto tablets and phones. Of course, if you are using a tablet already, just use the print list selector above and view it on screen.
Adding a Recipe
Adding A Recipe
This sets out guidelines for Adding recipes in the sheet.
You start by selecting a recipe & baker from the drop-down list or adding your own, just remember to press Ctrl-alt-F5 TWICE!!
Complete a recipe as found from any source, (book, online or handwritten notes).
This is the easiest way to display the ingredients & weights needed. (Each ingredient will be highlighted once weights are entered). Enter all in grams, using the user-defined conversion factor found in the same ingredient column if necessary.
Use the both the Revised Total Weight (RTW) & Est. Yield to adjust the recipe. This in turn highlights new ingredient weights whilst maintaining all percentages.
If you found the recipe online or have it already in your document collection. You can use a source recipe link (Hyperlink) for the full recipe & method. Extracting only salient notes from files or webpages on times, ingredient weights, methods etc. Adding to the notes and tips as an aide-memoire to the sheet.
Sometimes recipes are flawed, so check the percentage grids & adjust ingredient weight if they are not consistent with type.
Creating a Recipe
Creating A Recipe
This sets out guidelines for Creating recipes in the sheet.
You start by selecting a recipe and baker from the drop-down list or add your own, just remember to press Ctrl-alt-F5 TWICE!!
In the Main, Recipe Section start by adding 1000g Flour. Each main ingredient thereafter can be calculated simply e.g. 60% hydration = 600g, 2% salt = 20g, 1% Yeast = 10g. and so on.
If using preferments simply add the weight of ingredients to the Sourdough or Preferments (Pâte Fermentée, Poolish, Biga, etc.) sections & deduct the matching ingredient from the Main Recipe total (Flour, water, salt, etc.) Unless the preferments are added as a single ingredient.
There is a calculating table for incorporating preferments that you can use to assist. Just add an overall flour weight and type in the preferred percentages. Weights are displayed, which can then be added to the appropriate preferment section.
Check the recipe Percentages grids (Especially Hydration) Add or subtract ingredients to get the best combination. Add more liquid (Water/Milk) for higher hydration or less if desired. if eggs are added, check the final “User Defined Water Content” Hydration will change particularly if making a brioche.
Use the Revise Total Weight & Est. Yield to enter desired weight and yield for the bake.
i.e. Based on an original 1000g of flour for a White, Wholewheat & Rye Poolish Seeded loaf. Revising the Total Weight to 881g. This will give a new total flour weight of 450g. Both weights will be displayed adjacent to each other. All percentages will remain the same.
If you are experimenting, use several rows, Choose the same recipe name and change the baker reference.
My own recipe (Method 1) through to Method 9, are preloaded, feel free to use these or use your own. Remember to use Ctrl-alt-F5 TWICE!! If you are adding your own.
Find & View
Finding & Viewing
This sets out guidelines for Finding & Viewing recipes in the sheet.
Your first step is to press Ctrl-alt-F5 twice!! This will ensure that both the recipe & baker references are available from the selector drop-downs.
You can then either choose a recipe and baker from the selector drop-down lists or if you know the exact name of the bake. i.e. “White Bread” “MyRecipe7” you can type this in. (Good luck with trying to get “Triple floured seeded sourdough and biga overnight mix”, “Bob the builder’s mum’s family loaf”) first time around!
Alternatively, you can copy an existing recipe from the Recipe Builder as displayed. Then paste over the displayed text in the Recipe Selector. Repeat the process for the Baker Reference.
Scrolling through the Recipe Selector & Baker Reference drop-down lists individually will assist in finding a recipe if neither come to mind initially.
Whichever option you choose all the cells associated with the bake will be highlighted when the combination matches.
If the text in viewing the selectors is small (One of excels idiosyncrasies), zoom in to read the drop downs & enough to see at least the selectors & recipe total grams. You will see the latter highlight as soon as there is a match. You can then zoom out to view more detail.
From there, use the revised total weight & yield to compare the original.
Matched Pair
Unmatched Pair
send-&-print
Send & Print
This sets out guidelines for Sending & Printing
Each section can be selected independently of the other, consolidating the recipe for viewing & or printing in PDF format.
Use the "Select Filter", un/check; Titles, Notes, Times & Temperatures, Internet links & Ratings, Flour in all sections, Sourdough Starter Section, Preferments Section, Soaker Section, Main Recipe, Preferemented Percentages & Hydration, Percentages of ALL Ingredients, and "Not In Recipe" required on the recipe card.
You return to the full recipe by selecting (Select All) from the "Select Filter” List
Save the PDF to a location of your choice, with a suitable Recipe name and reference.
As PDF files are mostly distortion-free, recipe cards can be successfully sent to other devices where they are fully readable.
You can annotate the pdf with up to the minute comments that save automatically. So when you return to the sheet at a later date you can update any of the notes, weights or method changes without challenging your memory!
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