High-Hydration 78% Open Crumb Sourdough with 450g Flour, 307g Autolyse & 34g Bassinage (1 Standard Loaf)
Open-crumb 78% formula for 450g flour (891g 1 standard loaf) staging 34g bassinage water and 90g levain.
To bake 450g flour at 78% without suffering a 80% (+2%) soupier dough from 351g water and 90g starter, subtract 10g water. Combining 341g main water, 45g+45g levain, and 9.9g salt (891g total) locks True Total Hydration at 77.98% (target 78%).
- Strict True Hydration Water
- 341gLocks True Total Hydration at 77.98% (target 78%, -10g)
- Unadjusted Apparent Water
- 351gPushes True Hydration to 80% (+2% surge)
- 20% Active Starter & Salt
- 90g / 9.9g45g hidden flour + 45g hidden water
- Stickiness & Rheology
- 4 / 5 StarsArtisan Level (High extensibility)
5-Point Stoichiometry & Levain Split Chart Centered on 450g / 78%
Pre-computed gram weights around 450g main flour where 341g water locks True Total Hydration at 77.98% (target 78%).
| Batch & Seed Spec | Flour Breakdown | Levain Split | Corrected Water (78% Ref) | Salt & Dough Mass | Apparent vs Locked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400g @ 76% (15% Seed) Reduced Flour (-50g) | 400g + 30g = 430g (78%/450g ref) | 60g (30gF/30gW @ 100%) | 297g W (vs 304g app @ R1) | 8.6g salt (757g dough) | 77.7% drift → 76.05% (76% goal) |
| 450g @ 76% (18% Seed) Stiffer Step (-2%) | 450g + 45g = 495g (78%/450g ref) | 81g (45gF/36gW @ 80%) | 340g W (vs 342g app @ R2) | 9.9g salt (871g dough) | 76.4% drift → 75.96% (76% goal) |
| 450g @ 78% (20% Seed) [Primary Formula] | 450g + 45g = 495g (78%/450g ref) | 90g (45gF/45gW @ 100%) | 341g W (vs 351g app @ R3) | 9.9g salt (881g dough) | 80.0% drift → 77.98% (78% goal) |
| 450g @ 80% (22% Seed) Wetter Step (+2%) | 450g + 50g = 500g (78%/450g ref) | 99g (50gF/49gW @ 100%) | 351g W (vs 360g app @ R4) | 10.0g salt (900g dough) | 81.8% drift → 80.0% (80% goal) |
| 500g @ 80% (25% Seed) Up-Scaled (+50g) | 500g + 56g = 556g (78%/450g ref) | 125g (56gF/69gW @ 125%) | 376g W (vs 400g app @ R5) | 11.1g salt (1001g dough) | 84.4% drift → 80.04% (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 (450g Flour / 341g Corrected Water)
Fermentation enzymatics inside 90g starter cleave proteins across 45g flour while releasing 45g unbound water into your 450g dough. Avoiding the 80% (+2%) slump of an unadjusted 351g pour requires 341g water (307g + 34g) and 9.9g salt, which locks True Total Hydration at 77.98% (target 78%).
At 78% target hydration (77.98%), the 891g dough (450g flour + 341g water + 90g starter) displays high extensibility and supple elasticity (4/5 stickiness). Holding 34g water back from the 307g autolyse protects disulfide cross-links with 9.9g salt.
Bench & Dutch Oven Protocol for 1 Standard Loaf (450g Flour @ 78% Hydration)
- Initial Water Binding (307g W on 450g F): Hydrate 450g flour using 307g water (leaving 34g for stage 2 of 341g) for 45 min.
- Levain & Salinity Lock (90g Starter + 9.9g Salt): Fold in 90g 100% starter and 9.9g salt with 34g water, avoiding 351g (80%) drift.
- Fold Cadence for 78% (4/5 Stickiness): Space 4 wet-hand tuck-and-folds across 2 hours to reinforce the 891g (495g flour) network.
- Final Proof & Oven Spring (1 Standard Loaf): Cut bulk at +50% aliquot rise, cold-retard at 38°F overnight, and steam-bake in heavy cast iron at 450°F.
Technical Q&A: High-Hydration 78% Open Crumb Sourdough with 450
Should I use slap-and-fold or coil folds for 450g flour at 78% (341g water)?
With 341g water (307g + 34g) and 90g starter on 450g flour (891g batch, 4/5 tack), use 4 damp-hand coil folds 30 minutes apart to align the 495g flour network.
How much water do I deduct for 90g starter in a 450g / 78% recipe?
Deduct 10g of water from the 351g apparent weight (pouring 341g main water instead) to offset the +2% surge (80%) from 90g starter (45gW/45gF).
How much water should I hold back for bassinage in a 450g flour / 78% dough?
Out of 341g corrected main water for 450g flour at 78%, mix 307g (90%) during the 45-minute autolyse and trickle in 34g (10%) with 90g starter and 9.9g salt.