High-Hydration 78% Open Crumb Sourdough with 300g Flour, 204g Autolyse & 23g Bassinage (1 Small Boule)
Open-crumb 78% formula for 300g flour (594g 1 small boule) staging 23g bassinage water and 60g levain.
Because 60g of 100% levain supplies 30g water and 30g flour to 300g main flour (330g system flour), adding 234g water spikes dough hydration to 80% (+2%). Using 227g water (204g + 23g) and 6.6g salt (594g yield) locks True Total Hydration at 77.88% (target 78%).
- Strict True Hydration Water
- 227gLocks True Total Hydration at 77.88% (target 78%, -7g)
- Unadjusted Apparent Water
- 234gPushes True Hydration to 80% (+2% surge)
- 20% Active Starter & Salt
- 60g / 6.6g30g hidden flour + 30g hidden water
- Stickiness & Rheology
- 4 / 5 StarsArtisan Level (High extensibility)
5-Point Stoichiometry & Levain Split Chart Centered on 300g / 78%
System flour (330g) and total water (257g) mass-balance rows around 300g flour at 78% (77.88%).
| Batch & Seed Spec | Flour Breakdown | Levain Split | Corrected Water (78% Ref) | Salt & Dough Mass | Apparent vs Locked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 250g @ 76% (15% Seed) Mini Scale (-50g) | 250g + 19g = 269g (78%/300g ref) | 38g (19gF/19gW @ 100%) | 185g W (vs 190g app @ R1) | 5.4g salt (473g dough) | 77.7% drift → 75.84% (76% goal) |
| 300g @ 76% (18% Seed) Tighter Crumb (-2%) | 300g + 30g = 330g (78%/300g ref) | 54g (30gF/24gW @ 80%) | 227g W (vs 228g app @ R2) | 6.6g salt (581g dough) | 76.4% drift → 76.06% (76% goal) |
| 300g @ 78% (20% Seed) [Exact Spec] | 300g + 30g = 330g (78%/300g ref) | 60g (30gF/30gW @ 100%) | 227g W (vs 234g app @ R3) | 6.6g salt (587g dough) | 80.0% drift → 77.88% (78% goal) |
| 300g @ 80% (22% Seed) Airier Crumb (+2%) | 300g + 33g = 333g (78%/300g ref) | 66g (33gF/33gW @ 100%) | 233g W (vs 240g app @ R4) | 6.7g salt (599g dough) | 82.0% drift → 79.88% (80% goal) |
| 350g @ 80% (25% Seed) Boosted Scale (+50g) | 350g + 39g = 389g (78%/300g ref) | 88g (39gF/49gW @ 125%) | 262g W (vs 280g app @ R5) | 7.8g salt (700g dough) | 84.6% drift → 79.95% (80% goal) |
Custom Batch Recalculation Engine
Fine-tune starter hydration between 50% stiff and 125% liquid while keeping your hydration × flour weight formula ratios locked.
Wet Viscosity Control at 78% Hydration (300g Flour / 227g Corrected Water)
Hydrating 300g flour with 234g water plus 60g starter forces 330g total flour to absorb 264g water (80%). Staging 204g autolyse water and 23g bassinage water (227g total, -7g deduction) with 6.6g salt in your 594g dough locks True Total Hydration at 77.88% (target 78%).
At 77.88% true hydration (257g total water ÷ 330g flour), your 300g flour dough exhibits artisan level handling (4/5 stars). Cutting 7g from 234g down to 227g (204g + 23g) with 6.6g salt prevents serum weeping.
Step-by-Step Mixing & Folding Protocol for a 594g Batch (300g @ 78%)
- 90% Water Autolyse (204g / 227g): Mix 300g unbleached flour with 204g water and rest covered 45 min to initiate glutenin linking.
- 10% Bassinage & Starter Addition (23g W + 60g Levain): Add 60g starter (30gF/30gW), 6.6g salt, and 23g water for 77.88% (78%) across 330g flour.
- Viscoelastic Folding (594g Batch, Artisan Level): Complete 4 coil folds at 30-min intervals to balance high extensibility.
- Cold Fermentation & Bake (300g Base): Shape into a taut 1 small boule, chill 14 hrs at 38°F, and bake 42 min total at 450°F.
Technical Q&A: High-Hydration 78% Open Crumb Sourdough with 300
How sticky is a 300g flour sourdough at 78% hydration (227g water)?
At 77.88% (target 78%) with 227g water and 60g starter on 300g flour, rheology scores 4/5 stars (Artisan Level) with high extensibility.
Can I scale this 300g / 78% formula down by 50g to 250g flour?
At 250g flour and 78% hydration (vs 300g / 227g water), use 50g starter and 190g corrected water.
Is 78% hydration too wet for 300g of bread flour?
At 78% (227g water + 60g starter on 300g flour), use 12.7%+ bread flour and stage 23g bassinage water after a 204g autolyse to handle 4/5 stickiness.