Hydration × flour
72% Hydration Spelt Flour
Increasingly open crumb, medium-to-large cells. Classic Pain au Levain territory. Chewy crust with moist interior.
⚠ Outside Spelt Flour's typical range (60–70%) — read below for handling
Is 72% hydration right for Spelt Flour?
Spelt Flour's workable hydration range is 60–70%. Its absorption multiplier is 0.96× bread flour. 72% is above Spelt Flour's typical range. The dough will be slack and may not hold shape in a free-form hearth loaf. Either reduce hydration to 70%, or blend Spelt Flour (40–60%) with bread flour for structural support.
Absorption math for Spelt Flour at 72%
A recipe written for bread flour at 72% hydration, when substituted with 100% Spelt Flour, becomes 69% effective hydration (because Spelt Flour absorbs 4% less water). Short autolyse (20-30 min max). Gentle stretch-and-folds (2 sets). Shorter bulk ferment (15-20% less time than bread flour). Spelt over-proofs quickly — watch for signs and shape slightly underproofed. Cold retard is essential for handling.
Technique at 72% hydration
Dough requires strong gluten development (3-4 stretch-and-folds or coil folds). Shaping benefits from cold retard. Handle with wet hands or flour-dusted bench scraper.
Calculator pre-set to 72%
Weights below assume 100% Spelt Flour. For blends, use the main calculator on a recipe page.
- Flour to add
- 450 g
- Water to add
- 310 g
- Salt
- 10 g
- Levain @ 100%
- 100 g
- Total dough
- 870 g
- Effective hydration
- 72%
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.