Extreme 88% Hydration Sourdough (750g Flour): 586g Base + 65g Bassinage (2-Loaf Batch)
Ciabatta-style 88% formula on 750g flour (1568g batch) with 65g bassinage staging and -9g starter deduction.
To bake 750g flour at 88% without suffering a 89.1% (+1.1%) soupier dough from 660g water and 150g starter, subtract 9g water. Combining 651g main water, 75g+75g levain, and 16.5g salt (1568g total) locks True Total Hydration at 88.0% (target 88%).
- Strict True Hydration Water
- 651gLocks True Total Hydration at 88.0% (target 88%, -9g)
- Unadjusted Apparent Water
- 660gPushes True Hydration to 89.1% (+1.1% surge)
- 20% Active Starter & Salt
- 150g / 16.5g75g hidden flour + 75g hidden water
- Stickiness & Rheology
- 5 / 5 StarsExtreme / Wet Handling (Extreme extensibility)
5-Point Stoichiometry & Levain Split Chart Centered on 750g / 88%
Stepwise levain inoculation (15%–25%) and hydration offsets for a 1568g (2-Loaf Batch) batch using 750g flour.
| Batch & Seed Spec | Flour Breakdown | Levain Split | Corrected Water (88% Ref) | Salt & Dough Mass | Apparent vs Locked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 700g @ 86% (15% Seed) Lean Seed (-50g) | 700g + 53g = 753g (88%/750g ref) | 105g (53gF/52gW @ 100%) | 596g W (vs 602g app @ R1) | 15.1g salt (1401g dough) | 86.9% drift → 86.06% (86% goal) |
| 750g @ 86% (18% Seed) Low Inoc (-2% Hyd) | 750g + 75g = 825g (88%/750g ref) | 135g (75gF/60gW @ 80%) | 650g W (vs 645g app @ R2) | 16.5g salt (1535g dough) | 85.5% drift → 86.06% (86% goal) |
| 750g @ 88% (20% Seed) [Target Baseline] | 750g + 75g = 825g (88%/750g ref) | 150g (75gF/75gW @ 100%) | 651g W (vs 660g app @ R3) | 16.5g salt (1551g dough) | 89.1% drift → 88.0% (88% goal) |
| 750g @ 90% (22% Seed) High Inoc (+2% Hyd) | 750g + 83g = 833g (88%/750g ref) | 165g (83gF/82gW @ 100%) | 668g W (vs 675g app @ R4) | 16.7g salt (1583g dough) | 90.9% drift → 90.04% (90% goal) |
| 800g @ 90% (25% Seed) Scaled Batch (+50g) | 800g + 89g = 889g (88%/750g ref) | 200g (89gF/111gW @ 125%) | 689g W (vs 720g app @ R5) | 17.8g salt (1689g dough) | 93.5% drift → 89.99% (90% goal) |
Live Parameter Solver for Extreme 88% Hydration Sourdough (750g Flou
Dial in custom baker's percentages and export your adjusted 651g formula for bake day.
Bassinage Mechanics for 750g Flour at 88% Hydration (651g Water)
Gravimetric auditing of 750g flour plus 150g starter shows 825g total dry base and 726g target water for 88% hydration. Because the levain already supplies 75g water, cutting 660g by 9g down to 651g (with 16.5g salt in a 1568g batch) locks True Total Hydration at 88.0% (target 88%).
Capillary water binding across 825g total flour (750g + 75g) at 88.0% (88% target) leaves a 5/5 stickiness profile with extreme extensibility. Subtracting 9g water (651g vs 660g) and dosing 16.5g salt locks vertical oven spring in the 1568g loaf.
Double-Hydration (586g + 65g) Mixing Steps on 750g Flour
- Enzymatic Rest (750g Flour + 586g Water): Blend 586g water into 750g flour (holding back 65g of 651g) for 45 min.
- True-88% Calibration (-9g Deduction): Incorporate 150g starter, 16.5g sea salt, and 65g water to yield 1568g dough at 88.0% (vs 89.1%).
- Tension Alignment (825g System Flour): Perform 4 damp-hand coil folds every 30 min tailored to 5/5 stickiness and slack elasticity.
- Overnight Retard & Cast-Iron Bake (2-Loaf Batch): Terminate bulk at +50% rise, cold-proof at 38°F, score deeply, and bake at 450°F.
Cereal Chemistry & Bench Execution FAQs
How does changing starter from 20% (150g) to 15% (113g) affect 750g flour at 88%?
Dropping starter from 150g to 113g on 750g flour reduces hidden starter water from 75g to 56g, raising required main water from 651g to 653g for 88%.
How much water do I deduct for 150g starter in a 750g / 88% recipe?
Deduct 9g of water from the 660g apparent weight (pouring 651g main water instead) to offset the +1.1% surge (89.1%) from 150g starter (75gW/75gF).
Should I use slap-and-fold or coil folds for 750g flour at 88% (651g water)?
With 651g water (586g + 65g) and 150g starter on 750g flour (1568g batch, 5/5 tack), use 4 damp-hand coil folds 30 minutes apart to align the 825g flour network.