400g Flour at 60% Low-Hydration Sourdough: 224g Water, 80g Starter & 8.8g Salt (1 Small Boule)
Stiff 60% formula for 400g flour (713g dough, 1 small boule), deducting 16g starter water from 240g.
Target 60% hydration on 400g flour requires accounting for 80g levain (40g flour / 40g water); otherwise 240g water yields 63.6% (+3.6% jump). Pouring 224g water (202g base + 22g splash) and 8.8g salt for a 713g dough locks True Total Hydration at 60.0% (target 60%).
- Strict True Hydration Water
- 224gLocks True Total Hydration at 60.0% (target 60%, -16g)
- Unadjusted Apparent Water
- 240gPushes True Hydration to 63.6% (+3.6% surge)
- 20% Active Starter & Salt
- 80g / 8.8g40g hidden flour + 40g hidden water
- Stickiness & Rheology
- 1 / 5 StarsBeginner Friendly (Low extensibility)
Gravimetric Scaling Table for 400g Base Flour at 60% Hydration
Comparing 224g corrected water (-16g cut) against 240g apparent water (63.6% drift) on 400g flour.
| Batch & Seed Spec | Flour Breakdown | Levain Split | Corrected Water (60% Ref) | Salt & Dough Mass | Apparent vs Locked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 350g @ 58% (15% Seed) Reduced Flour (-50g) | 350g + 27g = 377g (60%/400g ref) | 53g (27gF/26gW @ 100%) | 193g W (vs 203g app @ R1) | 7.5g salt (596g dough) | 60.7% drift → 58.09% (58% goal) |
| 400g @ 58% (18% Seed) Stiffer Step (-2%) | 400g + 40g = 440g (60%/400g ref) | 72g (40gF/32gW @ 80%) | 223g W (vs 232g app @ R2) | 8.8g salt (695g dough) | 60.0% drift → 57.95% (58% goal) |
| 400g @ 60% (20% Seed) [Primary Formula] | 400g + 40g = 440g (60%/400g ref) | 80g (40gF/40gW @ 100%) | 224g W (vs 240g app @ R3) | 8.8g salt (704g dough) | 63.6% drift → 60.0% (60% goal) |
| 400g @ 62% (22% Seed) Wetter Step (+2%) | 400g + 44g = 444g (60%/400g ref) | 88g (44gF/44gW @ 100%) | 231g W (vs 248g app @ R4) | 8.9g salt (719g dough) | 65.8% drift → 61.94% (62% goal) |
| 450g @ 62% (25% Seed) Up-Scaled (+50g) | 450g + 50g = 500g (60%/400g ref) | 113g (50gF/63gW @ 125%) | 247g W (vs 279g app @ R5) | 10.0g salt (810g dough) | 68.4% drift → 62.0% (62% goal) |
Custom Batch Recalculation Engine
Fine-tune starter hydration between 50% stiff and 125% liquid while keeping your hydration × flour weight formula ratios locked.
Why 60% Low-Hydration Sourdough (400g Flour / 224g Water) Holds Spring
Introducing 80g ripe culture into 400g flour contributes 40g degraded gluten and 40g organic-acid water, pushing an unadjusted 240g pour to 63.6% (+3.6% surge). Weighing 224g water (202g autolyse + 22g bassinage) and 8.8g salt across 440g flour locks True Total Hydration at 60.0% (target 60%).
Balancing low extensibility against high tenacity elasticity in a 713g (400g flour) batch at 60% requires strict 224g water control (-16g vs 240g), 80g peaked starter (40gF/40gW), and 8.8g salt staged with 22g water.
Execution Schedule: 400g Flour, 224g Water & 80g Starter (60.0%)
- Stage-1 Hydration (202g of 224g Water): Whisk 202g water into 400g base flour and cover for 45 min while 80g starter peaks.
- Stage-2 Double Hydration (+22g Splash & 8.8g Salt): Slap-and-fold 80g culture (40gF/40gW), 8.8g salt, and 22g water to lock 60.0% (60%).
- Gluten Organization (Beginner Friendly): Use damp fingers across 4 coil-fold sets to organize the 713g (440g total flour) matrix.
- Banneton Retard & Steam Bake (1 Small Boule): Shape tightly at +50% bulk volume, chill overnight at 38°F, and load into a 450°F Dutch oven.
Technical Q&A: 400g Flour at 60% Low-Hydration Sourdough: 224g
Can I scale this 400g / 60% formula down by 50g to 350g flour?
At 350g flour and 60% hydration (vs 400g / 224g water), use 70g starter and 196g corrected water.
How sticky is a 400g flour sourdough at 60% hydration (224g water)?
At 60.0% (target 60%) with 224g water and 80g starter on 400g flour, rheology scores 1/5 stars (Beginner Friendly) with low extensibility.
How much starter and salt go into 400g flour at 60% hydration?
At 20% inoculation and 2% total-flour salt, combine 400g flour with 80g active starter (40gF + 40gW), 224g water, and 8.8g salt (2% of 440g total flour) for a 713g batch.