78% Hydration Bread Flour

Is 78% hydration right for Bread Flour?

Bread Flour's workable hydration range is 65–78%. Its absorption multiplier is 1× bread flour. At 78%, you are in the sweet spot — the dough will handle predictably and produce the crumb described above.

Absorption math for Bread Flour at 78%

A recipe written for bread flour at 78% hydration, when substituted with 100% Bread Flour, becomes 78% effective hydration (because Bread Flour matches bread flour absorption). Autolyse 30-60 minutes with water at target dough temperature before adding levain and salt. For 75-80% hydration, add 3-4 sets of stretch-and-folds over the first 2 hours of bulk. Higher hydration (82%+) benefits from coil folds instead of stretch-and-folds. Shape cold (after overnight retard) for easier handling and better ear.

Technique at 78% hydration

Upper range of 'standard' hearth hydration. Benefits from high-extraction flour which tolerates the hydration. Use coil folds instead of stretch-and-folds to build structure without deflating. Cold retard mandatory.

Worked water math for a 500 g batch

Add your levain on top of these weights; the calculator below subtracts the flour and water it already contributes so the bench numbers land at 78% exactly.

What Bread Flour gives you at 78%

At 78% hydration you can expect a very open, glossy, holey crumb — the signature of a high-hydration hearth loaf. A slack, sticky dough: work with wet hands, use coil folds rather than aggressive stretches, give a full bench rest after pre-shaping, and shape decisively — hesitation lets it spread.

Bread Flour at 78% — FAQ

Calculator pre-set to 78%

Weights below assume 100% Bread Flour. For blends, use the main calculator on a recipe page.

Bread Flour at every hydration level

Bread Flour usually works between 65% and 78% hydration — drier gives a stiffer dough, wetter a slacker one. Tap a level for the technique, the absorption math and a calculator set to it.