Extreme 82% Hydration Sourdough (350g Flour): 253g Base + 28g Bassinage (1 Small Boule)
Ciabatta-style 82% formula on 350g flour (709g batch) with 28g bassinage staging and -6g starter deduction.
For 350g main flour at 82% hydration with 70g active 100% starter, pouring 287g water inflates moisture to 83.6% (+1.6% surge) via 35g starter flour and 35g starter water. Deducting 6g down to 281g main water with 7.7g salt (709g batch) locks True Total Hydration at 82.08% (target 82%) over 385g system flour.
- Strict True Hydration Water
- 281gLocks True Total Hydration at 82.08% (target 82%, -6g)
- Unadjusted Apparent Water
- 287gPushes True Hydration to 83.6% (+1.6% surge)
- 20% Active Starter & Salt
- 70g / 7.7g35g hidden flour + 35g hidden water
- Stickiness & Rheology
- 4 / 5 StarsArtisan Level (Extreme extensibility)
Starter Inoculation & Water Deduction Table Around 350g Flour @ 82%
Stepwise levain inoculation (15%–25%) and hydration offsets for a 709g (1 Small Boule) batch using 350g flour.
| Batch & Seed Spec | Flour Breakdown | Levain Split | Corrected Water (82% Ref) | Salt & Dough Mass | Apparent vs Locked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300g @ 80% (15% Seed) Reduced Flour (-50g) | 300g + 23g = 323g (82%/350g ref) | 45g (23gF/22gW @ 100%) | 236g W (vs 240g app @ R1) | 6.5g salt (581g dough) | 81.1% drift → 79.88% (80% goal) |
| 350g @ 80% (18% Seed) Stiffer Step (-2%) | 350g + 35g = 385g (82%/350g ref) | 63g (35gF/28gW @ 80%) | 280g W (vs 280g app @ R2) | 7.7g salt (693g dough) | 80.0% drift → 80.0% (80% goal) |
| 350g @ 82% (20% Seed) [Primary Formula] | 350g + 35g = 385g (82%/350g ref) | 70g (35gF/35gW @ 100%) | 281g W (vs 287g app @ R3) | 7.7g salt (701g dough) | 83.6% drift → 82.08% (82% goal) |
| 350g @ 84% (22% Seed) Wetter Step (+2%) | 350g + 39g = 389g (82%/350g ref) | 77g (39gF/38gW @ 100%) | 289g W (vs 294g app @ R4) | 7.8g salt (716g dough) | 85.3% drift → 84.06% (84% goal) |
| 400g @ 84% (25% Seed) Up-Scaled (+50g) | 400g + 44g = 444g (82%/350g ref) | 100g (44gF/56gW @ 125%) | 317g W (vs 336g app @ R5) | 8.9g salt (817g dough) | 88.3% drift → 84.01% (84% goal) |
Custom Batch Recalculation Engine
Fine-tune starter hydration between 50% stiff and 125% liquid while keeping your hydration × flour weight formula ratios locked.
Bassinage Mechanics for 350g Flour at 82% Hydration (281g Water)
Fermentation enzymatics inside 70g starter cleave proteins across 35g flour while releasing 35g unbound water into your 350g dough. Avoiding the 83.6% (+1.6%) slump of an unadjusted 287g pour requires 281g water (253g + 28g) and 7.7g salt, which locks True Total Hydration at 82.08% (target 82%).
At 82% target hydration (82.08%), the 709g dough (350g flour + 281g water + 70g starter) displays extreme extensibility and supple elasticity (4/5 stickiness). Holding 28g water back from the 253g autolyse protects disulfide cross-links with 7.7g salt.
Bench & Dutch Oven Protocol for 1 Small Boule (350g Flour @ 82% Hydration)
- Endosperm Saturation (350g Flour / 253g Water): Rub 253g water into 350g flour (saving 28g of 281g) and rest 40 min.
- Ionic Salt & Culture Mix (70g Levain + 7.7g Sea Salt): Pinch 70g peaked starter and 7.7g salt dissolved in 28g water into the 709g batch (-6g vs 287g).
- Rheological Laminations (82% / 82.08%): Perform 1 bench lamination plus 3 coil folds every 35 min for supple tenacity across 385g system flour.
- Cold Proof & Dutch Oven Spring (709g): Preshape at +50% expansion, stitch into a banneton for 12–16 hrs at 38°F, score at 45°, and bake at 450°F.
Technical Q&A: Extreme 82% Hydration Sourdough (350g Flour): 25
What happens if I use a 50% stiff levain (70g) with 350g flour at 82%?
A 70g stiff levain (50% hydration) contains 47g flour and 23g water, requiring 303g main water instead of 281g on 350g flour to hold 82%.
Why does 287g water make my 350g flour dough feel like 83.6%?
Your 70g of 100% starter adds 35g water and 35g flour, turning 287g water into 322g water over 385g flour (83.6%). Dropping 6g to 281g locks True Total Hydration at 82.08% (target 82%).
How much starter and salt go into 350g flour at 82% hydration?
At 20% inoculation and 2% total-flour salt, combine 350g flour with 70g active starter (35gF + 35gW), 281g water, and 7.7g salt (2% of 385g total flour) for a 709g batch.