Emmer Flour (Farro)
0.950× absorption · 13.00–15.00% protein · hydration 65–75%
- Protein
- 13.00–15.00%
- Absorption
- 0.950×
- Hydration range
- 65–75%
- Category
- ancient-grain
About 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.
Technique
Medium autolyse (30-45 min). 2-3 gentle stretch-and-folds. Moderately extended bulk (similar to bread flour). Emmer tolerates retarded proofing well. Pair with 20-30% bread flour for structure support in free-form hearth loaves.
Hydration guide for Emmer Flour (Farro)
Baker's-percentage workable range: 65% — 75%. Absorption is 0.950× bread-flour baseline, so recipes written for bread flour need 5% less water when substituting Emmer Flour (Farro).
Related references on this site
- Emmer Flour (Farro) at 70% hydration — formula — calculator pre-set with this flour and hydration combination
- Emmer Flour (Farro) hydration range deep-dive — 65-75% workable range with technique notes
- Guide: baker's percentage explained — how protein, absorption, and hydration combine in the math
- Guide: whole-grain hydration adjustments — absorption multipliers for whole-wheat, rye, spelt, einkorn
- All 15 flour types — grouped by category (refined, whole-wheat, rye, ancient-grain)
- Reverse calculator: water → hydration % — you have a flour-and-water weight, want the hydration