Hydration × flour
95% Hydration Khorasan (Kamut) Flour
Glass-like hollow crumb. The extreme of sourdough hydration. Traditional Pan de Cristal target.
⚠ Outside Khorasan (Kamut) Flour's typical range (60–70%) — read below for handling
Is 95% hydration right for Khorasan (Kamut) Flour?
Khorasan (Kamut) Flour's workable hydration range is 60–70%. Its absorption multiplier is 0.97× bread flour. 95% 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 95%
A recipe written for bread flour at 95% hydration, when substituted with 100% Khorasan (Kamut) Flour, becomes 92% 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 95% hydration
Only expert bakers attempt this reliably. Requires olive oil (5%) in dough, stand mixer to develop structure, oiled work surfaces, bench scrapers throughout. Cannot be free-form shaped.
Worked water math for a 500 g batch
| Khorasan (Kamut) Flour | 500 g (100%) |
| Water | 475 g (95%) |
| 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 95% exactly.
What Khorasan (Kamut) Flour gives you at 95%
At 95% 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 95% — FAQ
How much water do I use for Khorasan (Kamut) Flour at 95% hydration?
Multiply the flour weight by 0.95. For a 500 g batch of Khorasan (Kamut) Flour that's 475 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 95% number suggests.
Is 95% hydration right for Khorasan (Kamut) Flour?
95% 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 95% give me?
Expect a very open, glossy, holey crumb — the signature of a high-hydration hearth loaf. Glass-like hollow crumb. The extreme of sourdough hydration. Traditional Pan de Cristal target.
Is Khorasan (Kamut) Flour at 95% beginner-friendly?
This hydration is rated expert. 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 95%
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
- 425 g
- Salt
- 10 g
- Levain @ 100%
- 100 g
- Total dough
- 985 g
- Effective hydration
- 95%
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.