The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

High Hydration

Clover23's picture
Clover23

High Hydration

Hi there! 

Second time posting on TFL! After a bit of a hiatus from sourdough bread baking (I've attempted Chad Robertson's Tartine recipe many a time, and the bread always comes out tasting great, but always is a bit flat...) I've decided to get back on the wagon and just try as many recipes and variations, journal the process, and hopefully come upon a recipe that works for me!

With that being said, I've started to do my research on different sourdough starters, leavens, flour types, schedules, etc. One question that I keep coming across is about hydration. I understand the basic of what hydration is (the proportion of water to flour) but I'm a bit confused as to what exactly/the benefits/qualities of a high hydration bread. It seems that a high hydration dough is a lower percentage, and less water. But doesn't that seem counter intuitive? I would think that with a name like high hydration, there would be higher amounts of water? And if high hydration breads do actually have lesser water amounts, then why I am reading that they are looser doughs and harder to manage?

Any advice would help as I wrap my head around hydration!

Happy Baking! 

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

high hydration is a high percentage of water to that of flour. So if the flour is considered to be 100%, 75% water or more is high hydration. 60 to 65% would be in the lower hydration amounts. So this is the total opposite of what you stated above. 

If you are still confused, look up bakers percentages to understand how bread bakers count flour and water amounts. It definitely is not like the everyday percentages we are used to. 

Lazy Loafer's picture
Lazy Loafer

Indeed, high hydration dough has a higher proportion of water to flour, and therefore the dough is 'looser' and generally harder to handle.

The benefits tend to be related to the open, holey, creamy, gelatinous crumb (interior) that a lot of people like in their bread, especially naturally leavened breads (i.e. sourdough).