Sourdough Hydration can be confusing - it most certainly is for me! But...it doesn't have to be!
Even as a beginner baker, you can understand and calculate hydration - even without a calculator!
In this post, I'll explain sourdough hydration in a way that's easy to understand, along with the benefits of increasing/decreasing the hydration in your loaves.
What is Sourdough Hydration and Why is it Important?
Sourdough hydration refers to the percentage of water to flour in your recipe.
It can be a little tricky to get your head around - but it is good to know the hydration of the bread you're baking.
The Basic Calculation for Hydration is:
(Weight of Water divided by Weight of Flour) x 100
For example - 350g of water divided by 500g of flour x 100 = 70% - this is what I use.
Understanding the "why" behind what you do when you're following a sourdough recipe will help you conquer the process of sourdough.
Start with a Lower Hydration and Work Your Way Up.
Generally, a lower hydration dough is easier to work with - and often recommended when you're just starting out. I almost always use around 70% - this is easy to handle.
Once you've mastered the basics, you can increase the hydration in your dough if you want to. Of course if you're happy with the sourdough you're baking (like me!), then there really is no need to increase it.
Benefits of Higher Hydration Sourdough:
While higher hydration dough can be harder to work with (although not always), there are some benefits of increasing the hydration in your dough.
Higher hydration sourdough creates a naturally thinner & crispier crust. The loaf will also not be chewy like some lower hydration loaves,
More water in sourdough will cause the dough to ferment faster - important to note for beginner bakers.
Bottom line: Using an increased amount of water in sourdough bread will give you a more elastic dough. The dough will ferment faster with the more water present. You'll also get a thinner crust and more open crumb (with correct fermentation time).
We could go into much more detail on Hydration, but start simple! There's no need to over-complicate sourdough, especially when you're just starting your journey.
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