Hydration × flour
78% Hydration Durum Semolina
Noticeably open, shiny crumb. Irregular medium-to-large holes. Glossy cell walls. Moist texture.
⚠ Outside Durum Semolina's typical range (65–72%) — read below for handling
Is 78% hydration right for Durum Semolina?
Durum Semolina's workable hydration range is 65–72%. Its absorption multiplier is 1.02× bread flour. 78% is above Durum Semolina's typical range. The dough will be slack and may not hold shape in a free-form hearth loaf. Either reduce hydration to 72%, or blend Durum Semolina (40–60%) with bread flour for structural support.
Absorption math for Durum Semolina at 78%
A recipe written for bread flour at 78% hydration, when substituted with 100% Durum Semolina, becomes 80% effective hydration (because Durum Semolina absorbs 2% more water). Long autolyse (60+ min) — durum is slow to hydrate fully. Firm dough: 68-72% hydration max. Use coil folds rather than stretch-and-folds. Shape with wet hands. Excellent for pan di Altamura-style boule shaping.
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
| Durum Semolina | 500 g (100%) |
| Water | 390 g (78%) |
| Salt | 10 g (2%) |
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 Durum Semolina 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.
Durum Semolina at 78% — FAQ
How much water do I use for Durum Semolina at 78% hydration?
Multiply the flour weight by 0.78. For a 500 g batch of Durum Semolina that's 390 g water, plus about 10 g salt (2%). Durum Semolina absorbs 1.02× as much water as white bread flour, so it behaves close to a straight bread-flour dough.
Is 78% hydration right for Durum Semolina?
78% is above Durum Semolina's usual 65–72% range — the dough will be slack and may spread. Reduce toward 72%, or blend Durum Semolina (40–60%) with bread flour for structure.
What crumb will Durum Semolina at 78% give me?
Expect a very open, glossy, holey crumb — the signature of a high-hydration hearth loaf. Noticeably open, shiny crumb. Irregular medium-to-large holes. Glossy cell walls. Moist texture.
Is Durum Semolina at 78% beginner-friendly?
This hydration is rated intermediate. 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.
Calculator pre-set to 78%
Weights below assume 100% Durum Semolina. For blends, use the main calculator on a recipe page.
- Flour to add
- 450 g
- Water to add
- 340 g
- Salt
- 10 g
- Levain @ 100%
- 100 g
- Total dough
- 900 g
- Effective hydration
- 78%
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.