What is this?
Hydration = water amount as a percentage of flour weight. 70% hydration means: 700g water for 1000g flour.[1] [2]
Why important: Hydration affects dough consistency, fermentations speed, gluten development, crumb openness and crust thickness — higher hydration generally yields a more open crumb and thinner crust, but requires different handling and stronger gluten management.[1] [2]
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incl. 2% salt
🛒 Recommended Products
We recommend the following tools for this recipe:
Digital Kitchen Scale
Essential for accurate flour and water measurements
Banneton Proofing Basket
Helps shape and retain dough structure during final proof
Dutch Oven or Cast Iron Pot
Creates steam and good oven spring for high-hydration loaves
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Recommendations by Flour Type
| Flour | Min % | Standard % | Max % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bread flour | 65% | 68% | 72% |
| High-gluten flour | 68% | 72% | 75% |
| Medium rye flour | 70% | 74% | 78% |
| Spelt flour | 60% | 64% | 68% |
| Whole wheat flour | 75% | 78% | 85% |
Hydration Ranges
Stiff dough, easy to shape, denser crumb
Standard, good balance of workability and results
Wet dough, open crumb, harder to handle
Very wet, for advanced bakers, ciabatta-like
Tips
💡 Don't forget water in the starter
Recipe hydration refers to TOTAL water amount, including the water in your starter — if your starter is 100% hydration and you use 100 g of starter, that contributes ~50 g water and 50 g flour to the totals, which changes the final hydration calculation.[2] [1]
💡 Weigh ingredients precisely
Weigh all ingredients on a kitchen scale — small measurement errors matter more at high hydration. Adjust by 1–2% and watch dough feel rather than relying solely on numbers.[1]
💡 Adjust for flour absorption
Different flours and brands absorb differently; when increasing hydration, hydrate gradually during mixing (autolyse or stepwise additions) and use a dough scraper to manage sticky dough.[1] [2]
💡 Temperature and environment
Warmer dough ferments faster; higher ambient humidity and warmer room temperatures can make a wetter dough feel slack — control dough temperature as needed and consider a proofing box for consistency.[1]
💡 Shaping and proofing aids
For wetter doughs use a well-floured proofing basket or a cloth-lined bowl and consider a Dutch oven or cast iron pot for baking to help with steam and oven spring.[1] [2]