Hydration × flour
60% Hydration First Clear Flour
Tight to moderately tight crumb. Small to medium cells. Firm chew. Good for sandwich loaves.
⚠ Outside First Clear Flour's typical range (66–78%) — read below for handling
Is 60% hydration right for First Clear Flour?
First Clear Flour's workable hydration range is 66–78%. Its absorption multiplier is 1.03× bread flour. 60% is below First Clear Flour's typical range. The dough will be stiff and hard to fully develop. Consider moving up to 66% for better extensibility.
Absorption math for First Clear Flour at 60%
A recipe written for bread flour at 60% hydration, when substituted with 100% First Clear Flour, becomes 62% effective hydration (because First Clear Flour absorbs 3% more water). Treat it as a strengthening flour, not a standalone. In rye blends, follow the rye's handling (short bulk, minimal knead). For bagels, work stiff and low-hydration. Its slightly weaker gluten rewards gentle, thorough mixing over aggressive kneading.
Technique at 60% hydration
Firm but pliable dough. Good for shaping into specific forms (tortillas, muffins, pizza). Less sensitive to mistakes than higher hydrations. Handles well with minimal flour on work surface.
Calculator pre-set to 60%
Weights below assume 100% First Clear Flour. For blends, use the main calculator on a recipe page.
- Flour to add
- 450 g
- Water to add
- 250 g
- Salt
- 10 g
- Levain @ 100%
- 100 g
- Total dough
- 810 g
- Effective hydration
- 60%
How the math works
Total water = flour × hydration %. Your levain contributes 50 g flour + 50 g water — both count toward the totals. You add only the remainder as fresh flour and water.
Salt % is computed on total flour weight, not final-dough flour.