What's the difference between Emmer Flour (Farro) and Khorasan (Kamut) Flour?

Emmer Flour (Farro): 13.00-15.00% protein, absorption 0.950×, hydration 65-75%. Khorasan (Kamut) Flour: 13.50-15.00% protein, absorption 0.970×, hydration 60-70%.

Can I substitute Emmer Flour (Farro) for Khorasan (Kamut) Flour 1:1?

Not directly. Absorption differs by 2.1%, so Emmer Flour (Farro) needs less water. Adjust hydration by 2% when substituting.

Which is better for open-crumb sourdough?

Emmer Flour (Farro) supports higher hydration (up to 75%), making it better suited to open-crumb hearth loaves than Khorasan (Kamut) Flour (max 70%).

Side-by-side comparison

Emmer Flour (Farro) vs Khorasan (Kamut) Flour

	Emmer Flour (Farro)	Khorasan (Kamut) Flour
Protein	13.00–15.00%	13.50–15.00%
Absorption (× bread flour)	0.950	0.970
Hydration range	65–75%	60–70%
Category	ancient-grain	ancient-grain
Ash %	1.20	1.40

Emmer Flour (Farro)

Emmer (Triticum dicoccum, known as farro medio in Italy) is an ancient hulled wheat, intermediate between einkorn and modern wheat in gluten behavior. Absorption is 5% less than bread flour. Flavor is nutty and earthy, more robust than spelt but gentler than whole wheat. Jovial Foods and Central Milling both offer emmer. Use at 25-50% in blends for complex flavor profiles. Popular in Tuscan-style hearth breads and rustic Italian loaves. Supports hydration up to 75% but no higher.

Khorasan (Kamut) Flour

Khorasan (trademarked as Kamut when certified organic) is an ancient wheat variety with kernels roughly 2x the size of modern wheat. High protein (13.5-15%) and distinctive buttery-nutty flavor. Absorption is 3% less than bread flour. Popular in Pacific Northwest sourdough scene — Central Milling and Kamut International's Montana-grown grain are the US reference sources. Use at 25-50% in blends; supports hydration up to 70%. People with modern-wheat sensitivities often tolerate khorasan (not celiac-safe).

Substitution math

When substituting Emmer Flour (Farro) for Khorasan (Kamut) Flour in a recipe, adjust hydration by about 2% — reduce water because Emmer Flour (Farro) absorbs less than Khorasan (Kamut) Flour.

The gear that makes the math work

A short, honest baking kit. The scale matters most — every weight on this page is in grams. The Dutch oven is what turns a good crumb into a great crust.

Digital kitchen scale (0.1 g)
Baker's percentage is by weight, not volume — a 0.1 g scale is what makes the math on this page accurate.
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Dutch oven / combo cooker
Traps steam for the first bake phase — the single biggest factor in oven spring and a blistered, glossy crust.
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Banneton proofing basket
Wicks moisture and holds shape during the final proof, so high-hydration dough doesn't spread flat.
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Bread lame + bench scraper
A sharp lame scores clean ears; a steel bench scraper handles wet, sticky dough without tearing the gluten.
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High-protein bread flour
The math assumes ~12–14% protein. Real bread flour absorbs the hydration you calculate — all-purpose won't.
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Danish dough whisk
Mixes shaggy, high-hydration dough in seconds without the gluey mess of a spoon or your hands.
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🎧 Or learn the craft by ear

The numbers here are the what; a good baking book is the why. An Audible trial gets you any title free — Michael Pollan’s Cooked(the “Air” chapter is the best story ever told about why bread rises) is a perfect first listen.

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Gear guides — what actually matters