Hydration × flour
80% Hydration Bread Flour
Very open irregular crumb with large holes. Very moist, glossy. Focaccia-like texture when pan-baked.
Outside Bread Flour's typical range (65–78%) — read below for handling
Is 80% hydration right for Bread Flour?
Bread Flour's workable hydration range is 65–78%. Its absorption multiplier is 1× bread flour. 80% is above Bread Flour's typical range. The dough will be slack and may not hold shape in a free-form hearth loaf. Either reduce hydration to 78%, or blend Bread Flour (40–60%) with bread flour for structural support.
Absorption math for Bread Flour at 80%
A recipe written for bread flour at 80% hydration, when substituted with 100% Bread Flour, becomes 80% 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 80% hydration
Dough is sticky and slack. Requires 4+ coil folds. Wet hands throughout all handling. Shape only after cold retard. Free-form shaping becomes difficult — consider pan shapes.
Worked water math for a 500 g batch
| Bread Flour | 500 g (100%) |
| Water | 400 g (80%) |
| 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 80% exactly.
What Bread Flour gives you at 80%
At 80% hydration you can expect a very open, glossy, holey crumb — the signature of a high-hydration hearth loaf. A very wet dough: minimal handling wins. Use wet hands and a bench scraper, coil or stitch folds only, a strong pre-shape, and a well-floured couche or banneton — this hydration rewards a light, confident touch and punishes over-working.
Bread Flour at 80% — FAQ
How much water do I use for Bread Flour at 80% hydration?
Multiply the flour weight by 0.8. For a 500 g batch of Bread Flour that's 400 g water, plus about 10 g salt (2%). Bread Flour absorbs 1× as much water as white bread flour, so it behaves close to a straight bread-flour dough.
Is 80% hydration right for Bread Flour?
80% is above Bread Flour's usual 65–78% range — the dough will be slack and may spread. Reduce toward 78%, or blend Bread Flour (40–60%) with bread flour for structure.
What crumb will Bread Flour at 80% give me?
Expect a very open, glossy, holey crumb — the signature of a high-hydration hearth loaf. Very open irregular crumb with large holes. Very moist, glossy. Focaccia-like texture when pan-baked.
Is Bread Flour at 80% beginner-friendly?
This hydration is rated advanced. A very wet dough: minimal handling wins. Use wet hands and a bench scraper, coil or stitch folds only, a strong pre-shape, and a well-floured couche or banneton — this hydration rewards a light, confident touch and punishes over-working.
Calculator pre-set to 80%
Weights below assume 100% Bread Flour. For blends, use the main calculator on a recipe page.
- Flour to add
- 450 g
- Water to add
- 350 g
- Salt
- 10 g
- Levain @ 100%
- 100 g
- Total dough
- 910 g
- Effective hydration
- 80%
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.
To bake this recipe you need
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The gear that makes the math work
A short, honest baking kit. The scale matters most — every weight on this page is in grams. The Dutch oven is what turns a good crumb into a great crust.
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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.
| Hydration | Water per 500 g | For Bread Flour |
|---|---|---|
| 55% | 275 g | Drier than usual |
| 60% | 300 g | Drier than usual |
| 65% | 325 g | In its range |
| 70% | 350 g | In its range |
| 72% | 360 g | In its range |
| 75% | 375 g | In its range |
| 78% | 390 g | In its range |
| 80%this page | 400 g | Wetter than usual |
| 82% | 410 g | Wetter than usual |
| 85% | 425 g | Wetter than usual |
| 90% | 450 g | Wetter than usual |
| 95% | 475 g | Wetter than usual |