Country 72% Sourdough Formula for 350g Flour: 242g Water & 70g Levain (1 Small Boule)
True 71.95% vs 74.5% apparent breakdown for 350g flour (670g 1 small boule, -10g water cut).
Mixing 350g unbleached flour, 252g water, and 70g liquid starter pushes real hydration to 74.5% (+2.5% overshoot) across 385g total grain. Measuring 242g corrected water (218g autolyse + 24g bassinage), 70g levain, and 7.7g salt removes 10g excess water and locks True Total Hydration at 71.95% (target 72%).
- Strict True Hydration Water
- 242gLocks True Total Hydration at 71.95% (target 72%, -10g)
- Unadjusted Apparent Water
- 252gPushes True Hydration to 74.5% (+2.5% surge)
- 20% Active Starter & Salt
- 70g / 7.7g35g hidden flour + 35g hidden water
- Stickiness & Rheology
- 3 / 5 StarsModerate (High extensibility)
Starter Inoculation & Water Deduction Table Around 350g Flour @ 72%
Stepwise levain inoculation (15%–25%) and hydration offsets for a 670g (1 Small Boule) batch using 350g flour.
| Batch & Seed Spec | Flour Breakdown | Levain Split | Corrected Water (72% Ref) | Salt & Dough Mass | Apparent vs Locked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300g @ 70% (15% Seed) Compact Mix (-50g) | 300g + 23g = 323g (72%/350g ref) | 45g (23gF/22gW @ 100%) | 204g W (vs 210g app @ R1) | 6.5g salt (549g dough) | 71.8% drift → 69.97% (70% goal) |
| 350g @ 70% (18% Seed) Conservative Pour | 350g + 35g = 385g (72%/350g ref) | 63g (35gF/28gW @ 80%) | 242g W (vs 245g app @ R2) | 7.7g salt (655g dough) | 70.9% drift → 70.13% (70% goal) |
| 350g @ 72% (20% Seed) [Locked Benchmark] | 350g + 35g = 385g (72%/350g ref) | 70g (35gF/35gW @ 100%) | 242g W (vs 252g app @ R3) | 7.7g salt (662g dough) | 74.5% drift → 71.95% (72% goal) |
| 350g @ 74% (22% Seed) Open-Crumb Push | 350g + 39g = 389g (72%/350g ref) | 77g (39gF/38gW @ 100%) | 250g W (vs 259g app @ R4) | 7.8g salt (677g dough) | 76.3% drift → 74.04% (74% goal) |
| 400g @ 74% (25% Seed) Expanded Loaf (+50g) | 400g + 44g = 444g (72%/350g ref) | 100g (44gF/56gW @ 125%) | 273g W (vs 296g app @ R5) | 8.9g salt (773g dough) | 79.3% drift → 74.1% (74% goal) |
On-Bench Hydration & Fermentation Adjuster
Modify base flour mass, levain inoculation, or ambient kitchen temperature below to recalculate from this 242g baseline.
Open Crumb & Gluten Physics at 72% Hydration (350g Flour + 242g Water)
Multiplying 350g flour by 72% gives 252g apparent water, but adding 70g starter (35g flour + 35g water) shifts system totals to 287g water over 385g flour (74.5%, +2.5% drift). Deducting 10g down to 242g main water (277g total water) locks True Total Hydration at 71.95% (target 72%).
Glutenin macropolymer alignment for 350g flour at 72% hydration improves when 218g water (90% of 242g) swells endosperm proteins for 45 minutes prior to adding 70g acidic levain, 7.7g salt, and 24g reserved water—preventing the 74.5% slump of 252g water.
Bench & Dutch Oven Protocol for 1 Small Boule (350g Flour @ 72% Hydration)
- Pre-Ferment & 218g Autolyse (350g Flour): Verify 70g levain is domed, then soak 350g flour in 218g water for 40–50 min.
- Rubaud Emulsification (242g Total Main Water): Rubaud-mix 70g starter (35gF/35gW), 7.7g salt, and 24g reserved water into the 670g mass (72%).
- Alveolar Structuring (71.95% True Moisture): Execute 4 coil folds spaced 30 min apart to manage high stretch on 385g flour.
- Retardation & Scoring (1 Small Boule / 670g): Preshape, tension-stitch into a rice-floured liner, chill 12–16 hrs at 38°F, and bake at 450°F.
Common Scaling & Troubleshooting Questions (242g)
Can I scale this 350g / 72% formula down by 50g to 300g flour?
At 300g flour and 72% hydration (vs 350g / 242g water), use 60g starter and 208g corrected water.
How does 218g autolyse water improve a 350g loaf at 72%?
Soaking 350g flour in 218g water for 45 minutes before adding 70g acidic starter, 7.7g salt, and 24g water (242g total) builds supple elasticity across the 670g dough.
Why is salt 7.7g instead of 7g for 350g flour at 72%?
True 2.0% salinity counts the 35g flour inside your 70g starter (350g + 35g = 385g total flour × 2% = 7.7g salt), stabilizing the 670g loaf at 71.95% (72%).