Recipe hydration
Miche (Poilâne-Style) — Hydration Guide
Target 78%. Workable range 75–82%.
Why this hydration for Miche (Poilâne-Style)?
Miche is a very large French hearth loaf — traditionally 1-2 kg (2-4 lbs) — made with high-extraction flour (T80 or T85). Deep flavor from extensive bran, dense moist crumb, excellent keeping quality (7+ days). Poilâne bakery in Paris makes the global-reference miche. Weight matters: smaller sizes don't produce the characteristic moist interior.
Flour mix: 100% high extraction.
Technique at 78%
Autolyse 60 min with all water at 80°F. Add levain, salt. 4 folds in 2h. Long bulk 5h at 76°F. Shape very tight boule, heavily flour banneton. Cold retard 12h. Bake in LARGE dutch oven (7-qt minimum) at 480°F: 30 min lid on, 30 min lid off, or until internal 210°F.
Calculator pre-set to 78%
- 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.