Notes on hydration, from 65% to 80%
Every Sunday this summer I added two percent more water to the same basic loaf: 90% bread flour, 10% whole wheat, 2% salt, 20% starter. Here is where it landed.
| Hydration | Handling | Crumb | Would bake again |
|---|---|---|---|
| 65% | Easy, almost dry | Tight, even | For sandwiches |
| 70% | Relaxed | Soft, small holes | Yes |
| 72% | Slightly tacky | Open, glossy | Every week |
| 76% | Needs coil folds | Very open | On a good day |
| 80% | Slack, sticks to everything | Wild, flat loaf | Not yet |
The whole wheat soaks up more than you expect. On days with 20% whole wheat the dough at 76% behaves like 72% with white flour only.
Water temperature turned out to matter as much as the amount. Aiming for a dough at 25 °C right after mixing made fermentation times predictable for the first time.
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