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Last high hydration (82%) loaf I will make! Super happy with how it turned out, but no more!
In Sourdough

Last high hydration (82%) loaf I will make! Super happy with how it turned out, but no more!


Crumb shot: https://i.imgur.com/UiHlQeA.jpeg

I've been making some high hydration loaves recently just for fun, but I'm going back to make 70%-73% loaves because

  1. I find high hydration loaves (80%+) to be really not filling. I don't feel full at all eating 2 slices from a high hydration loaf, but 2 slices from a 70% hydration loaf is enough to sustain me for the whole morning. Makes sense considering there's so much less flour in a high hydration dough.
  2. Super hard to slice. When properly fermented, high hydration loaves are so soft that it makes it really hard to slice it without squishing the bread. It didn't help that I deliberately chase after extra thin crust.
  3. The crumb is just way too soft. Yes there is such a thing as too soft when, unless I really toast it, it's hard to spread butter, peanut butter or spreads that are rather thick in consistency.
  4. Really hard to score. Sure, it's much harder to get an ear, but more practically, the action of scoring can deform the dough a bit and the blade would stick to the dough

Recipe

  • 100% flours
  • 80% water (total hydration, with starter counted: ~82%)
  • 20% starter (at 100%)
  • 2.3% salt

–

  1. Mix all ingredients. Rest 30 minutes
  2. 3 sets of S+F, 30 minutes apart
  3. Bulk fermentation
  4. Final shape + Proof
  5. Bake covered at 450F for 35 minutes. (Note: I bake covered until light brown for extra thin crust. If you prefer thicker crust, bake covered for 20 and then uncovered until it reaches your desired colour.)



by theSourdoughNeighbor

11 Comments

  1. jacked-daniels

    This looks awesome! I love the size of your loaf too – may I ask how many grams of flour you used for this size?

  2. Kitchen-Arm7300

    Thank you for this. I was trying to get into higher hydration myself. But no more for me as well. It’s just more work for equal or lesser quality.

  3. its_sockdolager

    I thought the amount of flour stays the same but the amount of water varies when you change hydration, so your 82% loaf and a 70% loaf would have the same amount of flour and thus the same amount of calories?

  5. Able_Bodybuilder3474

    You sound like me .master it and move on to the next challenge!

  7. petewondrstone

    What percentage ratio would you consider not HIGH or less to make an easier loaf for you?

  8. redisburning

    That crumb looks light, what flour are you using? 82% hydration with 100% bread flour in the KA/Bob’s Red Mill style is a lot of work for not much. But if you are using a less sifted flour 82% is super easy going.

  9. wisemonkey101

    I did something similar. Worked up to 85% and decided the fun was done.
    I still pull out that as a party trick every so often. Mostly I make sandwich loaves in a bread pan.

  10. kay_good913

    I do 100% whole wheat (I just like the taste better) and it has to be 80-85% otherwise it is too dry and doesn’t bulk ferment as nicely.

    Looks awesome!!

  11. IceDragonPlay

    68-75% water is my happy zone (70-78% total hydration).

    80%+ is messy, sticky dough to work with and I don’t enjoy it. Also have upper cupboards that are low over the counter, so slap and fold is impossible!

    The only thing I am chasing is bread everyone is happy with. My loaves are mild white or multi grain, the ones for one kid are extra sour and the other loves extra grains and seeds in the bread. All happy with the range of hydration for batards or sandwich loaves 😂

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