Hydration × flour
70% Hydration High-Extraction Flour
Medium cells with some larger bubbles. Noticeable holes appearing. Chewy, moist, balanced.
⚠ Outside High-Extraction Flour's typical range (72–82%) — read below for handling
Is 70% hydration right for High-Extraction Flour?
High-Extraction Flour's workable hydration range is 72–82%. Its absorption multiplier is 1.03× bread flour. 70% is below High-Extraction Flour's typical range. The dough will be stiff and hard to fully develop. Consider moving up to 72% for better extensibility.
Absorption math for High-Extraction Flour at 70%
A recipe written for bread flour at 70% hydration, when substituted with 100% High-Extraction Flour, becomes 72% effective hydration (because High-Extraction Flour absorbs 3% more water). Autolyse 45-60 min. 3-4 stretch-and-folds. Supports 78-80% hydration reliably. Excellent base for country-loaf-style hearth breads.
Technique at 70% hydration
Dough becomes visibly softer and stickier. Use wet hands or bench scraper. Starts requiring more careful handling to avoid degassing. Autolyse 45-60 min helps develop structure.
Calculator pre-set to 70%
Weights below assume 100% High-Extraction Flour. For blends, use the main calculator on a recipe page.
- Flour to add
- 450 g
- Water to add
- 300 g
- Salt
- 10 g
- Levain @ 100%
- 100 g
- Total dough
- 860 g
- Effective hydration
- 70%
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.