Recipe hydration
Baguette — Hydration Guide
Target 68%. Workable range 65–72%.
Why this hydration for Baguette?
The baguette is the technical benchmark of hearth baking — thin elongated loaf with crackling crust, irregular open crumb (cells of varying size), and distinctive scoring pattern. 68% is the traditional French hydration (more conservative than a 75% country loaf because the shape requires more structure). Hamelman's baguette uses 100% bread flour, 68% hydration, 15% poolish or sourdough preferment. Advanced bakers dial hydration up to 72%. The scoring (3-5 diagonal slashes, slightly overlapping) is what creates the signature ear.
Flour mix: 100% bread flour.
Technique at 68%
Short autolyse (20 min). 3 sets of stretch-and-folds. 3h bulk, divide into 250g pieces, preshape cylinders, rest 20 min. Final shape: elongate to 18 inches with tapered ends, place in floured couche. Proof 60 min. Transfer to parchment, score 3-5 diagonal overlapping slashes with lame. Bake on preheated stone at 475°F with steam for first 10 min; 18-22 min total until deep mahogany crust.
Calculator pre-set to 68%
- Flour to add
- 450 g
- Water to add
- 290 g
- Salt
- 10 g
- Levain @ 100%
- 100 g
- Total dough
- 850 g
- Effective hydration
- 68%
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.