Extreme 88% Hydration Sourdough (300g Flour): 234g Base + 26g Bassinage (1 Small Boule)
Ciabatta-style 88% formula on 300g flour (627g batch) with 26g bassinage staging and -4g starter deduction.
Across 330g combined flour (300g base + 30g from 60g starter), an unadjusted 264g water weight produces 294g total liquid or 89.1% (+1.1% surge). Restricting main water to 260g (-4g) with 6.6g salt (627g dough) locks True Total Hydration at 87.88% (target 88%).
- Strict True Hydration Water
- 260gLocks True Total Hydration at 87.88% (target 88%, -4g)
- Unadjusted Apparent Water
- 264gPushes True Hydration to 89.1% (+1.1% surge)
- 20% Active Starter & Salt
- 60g / 6.6g30g hidden flour + 30g hidden water
- Stickiness & Rheology
- 5 / 5 StarsExtreme / Wet Handling (Extreme extensibility)
Starter Inoculation & Water Deduction Table Around 300g Flour @ 88%
System flour (330g) and total water (290g) mass-balance rows around 300g flour at 88% (87.88%).
| Batch & Seed Spec | Flour Breakdown | Levain Split | Corrected Water (88% Ref) | Salt & Dough Mass | Apparent vs Locked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 250g @ 86% (15% Seed) Smaller Loaf (-50g) | 250g + 19g = 269g (88%/300g ref) | 38g (19gF/19gW @ 100%) | 212g W (vs 215g app @ R1) | 5.4g salt (500g dough) | 87.0% drift → 85.87% (86% goal) |
| 300g @ 86% (18% Seed) Lower Moisture (-2%) | 300g + 30g = 330g (88%/300g ref) | 54g (30gF/24gW @ 80%) | 260g W (vs 258g app @ R2) | 6.6g salt (614g dough) | 85.5% drift → 86.06% (86% goal) |
| 300g @ 88% (20% Seed) [Calibrated Target] | 300g + 30g = 330g (88%/300g ref) | 60g (30gF/30gW @ 100%) | 260g W (vs 264g app @ R3) | 6.6g salt (620g dough) | 89.1% drift → 87.88% (88% goal) |
| 300g @ 90% (22% Seed) Higher Moisture (+2%) | 300g + 33g = 333g (88%/300g ref) | 66g (33gF/33gW @ 100%) | 267g W (vs 270g app @ R4) | 6.7g salt (633g dough) | 91.0% drift → 90.09% (90% goal) |
| 350g @ 90% (25% Seed) Larger Batch (+50g) | 350g + 39g = 389g (88%/300g ref) | 88g (39gF/49gW @ 125%) | 301g W (vs 315g app @ R5) | 7.8g salt (739g dough) | 93.6% drift → 89.97% (90% goal) |
Dynamic Stoichiometric Workbench (260g)
Test custom loaf weights or alternative fermentation schedules directly against the 264g benchmark above.
Bassinage Mechanics for 300g Flour at 88% Hydration (260g Water)
Fermentation enzymatics inside 60g starter cleave proteins across 30g flour while releasing 30g unbound water into your 300g dough. Avoiding the 89.1% (+1.1%) slump of an unadjusted 264g pour requires 260g water (234g + 26g) and 6.6g salt, which locks True Total Hydration at 87.88% (target 88%).
Viscoelastic creep tests at 88% hydration (260g water + 60g starter on 300g flour) confirm slack elastic recovery when 6.6g salt reinforces the 330g protein matrix and 26g bassinage water is emulsified after the 234g autolyse (627g dough).
Rheological Handling Guide (5/5 Tack) for 300g Flour at 88%
- Pre-Ferment & 234g Autolyse (300g Flour): Verify 60g levain is domed, then soak 300g flour in 234g water for 40–50 min.
- Rubaud Emulsification (260g Total Main Water): Rubaud-mix 60g starter (30gF/30gW), 6.6g salt, and 26g reserved water into the 627g mass (88%).
- Alveolar Structuring (87.88% True Moisture): Execute 4 coil folds spaced 30 min apart to manage extreme stretch on 330g flour.
- Retardation & Scoring (1 Small Boule / 627g): Preshape, tension-stitch into a rice-floured liner, chill 12–16 hrs at 38°F, and bake at 450°F.
Key Baker's Math Questions (Strict True Hydration Water: 260g)
How much water do I deduct for 60g starter in a 300g / 88% recipe?
Deduct 4g of water from the 264g apparent weight (pouring 260g main water instead) to offset the +1.1% surge (89.1%) from 60g starter (30gW/30gF).
How does changing starter from 20% (60g) to 15% (45g) affect 300g flour at 88%?
Dropping starter from 60g to 45g on 300g flour reduces hidden starter water from 30g to 23g, raising required main water from 260g to 261g for 88%.
How many loaves does 300g flour at 88% hydration (627g) make?
A 300g flour formula with 260g water, 60g starter, and 6.6g salt produces 627g total dough—ideal as 1 Small Boule at 87.88% (88%).