Hydration × flour

80% Hydration Khorasan (Kamut) Flour

Very open irregular crumb with large holes. Very moist, glossy. Focaccia-like texture when pan-baked.

Outside Khorasan (Kamut) Flour's typical range (60–70%) — read below for handling

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Is 80% hydration right for Khorasan (Kamut) Flour?

Khorasan (Kamut) Flour's workable hydration range is 60–70%. Its absorption multiplier is 0.97× bread flour. 80% is above Khorasan (Kamut) 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 Khorasan (Kamut) Flour (40–60%) with bread flour for structural support.

Absorption math for Khorasan (Kamut) Flour at 80%

A recipe written for bread flour at 80% hydration, when substituted with 100% Khorasan (Kamut) Flour, becomes 78% effective hydration (because Khorasan (Kamut) Flour absorbs 3% less water). Medium autolyse (30-45 min). 3 stretch-and-folds max. Similar handling to emmer. Pairs beautifully with whole wheat at 50/50 ratio for depth without density.

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

Khorasan (Kamut) Flour ingredient weights for 500 g flour at 80% hydration
Khorasan (Kamut) Flour500 g (100%)
Water400 g (80%)
Salt10 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 Khorasan (Kamut) 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.

Khorasan (Kamut) Flour at 80% — FAQ

How much water do I use for Khorasan (Kamut) Flour at 80% hydration?

Multiply the flour weight by 0.8. For a 500 g batch of Khorasan (Kamut) Flour that's 400 g water, plus about 10 g salt (2%). Khorasan (Kamut) Flour absorbs 0.97× as much water as white bread flour, so it will feel a touch wetter than the 80% number suggests.

Is 80% hydration right for Khorasan (Kamut) Flour?

80% is above Khorasan (Kamut) Flour's usual 60–70% range — the dough will be slack and may spread. Reduce toward 70%, or blend Khorasan (Kamut) Flour (40–60%) with bread flour for structure.

What crumb will Khorasan (Kamut) 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 Khorasan (Kamut) 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% Khorasan (Kamut) 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.

Open 80% hydration guide →

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.

Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, SourdoughHydration earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

  • Digital kitchen scale (0.1 g)Digital kitchen scale (0.1 g)

    Baker's percentage is by weight, not volume — a 0.1 g scale is what makes the math on this page accurate.

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  • Dutch oven / combo cookerDutch oven / combo cooker

    Traps steam for the first bake phase — the single biggest factor in oven spring and a blistered, glossy crust.

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  • Banneton proofing basketBanneton proofing basket

    Wicks moisture and holds shape during the final proof, so high-hydration dough doesn't spread flat.

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  • Bread lameBread lame

    A sharp lame scores clean ears — the cut that decides whether the loaf opens up or bursts at the side.

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  • Bench scraperBench scraper

    Steel scraper handles wet, sticky high-hydration dough without tearing the gluten you just built.

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  • High-protein bread flourHigh-protein bread flour

    The math assumes ~12–14% protein. Real bread flour absorbs the hydration you calculate — all-purpose won't.

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  • Danish dough whiskDanish dough whisk

    Mixes shaggy, high-hydration dough in seconds without the gluey mess of a spoon or your hands.

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Or learn the craft by ear

The numbers here are the what; a good baking book is the why. An Audible trial gets you any title free — Michael Pollan’s Cooked(the “Air” chapter is the best story ever told about why bread rises) is a perfect first listen.

Start a free Audible trial →

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Khorasan (Kamut) Flour at every hydration level

Khorasan (Kamut) Flour usually works between 60% and 70% 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.

Khorasan (Kamut) Flour at each hydration level: water per 500 g of flour and how each level compares to its usual range.
HydrationWater per 500 gFor Khorasan (Kamut) Flour
55%275 gDrier than usual
60%300 gIn its range
65%325 gIn its range
70%350 gIn its range
72%360 gWetter than usual
75%375 gWetter than usual
78%390 gWetter than usual
80%this page400 gWetter than usual
82%410 gWetter than usual
85%425 gWetter than usual
90%450 gWetter than usual
95%475 gWetter than usual

Sources: Kamut International — Khorasan wheat specifications; Hamelman, Bread (3rd ed.); Robertson, Tartine Bread.