The type of flour, water, and the ratio between the two dictates what kind of bread you make, how it will rise, and the crumb of your bread (visible air pockets). When we discuss “hydration”, what we really mean is the ratio of water to flour we are using, which is converted into a hydration percentage. This is useful when making focaccia, for example, because it requires a higher hydration in order for air bubbles to form, while providing less rise in the oven.
The Science Behind the Various Types of Flour
First, I want to discuss flour: whole grain, rye, all-purpose, and bread flour.
Whole Grain
Fresh milled, whole grain flour has over 4x as much fibre as white flour, is high in protein and low on the glycemic index, is rich in B vitamins, has folate, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E and K ,zinc, selenium, manganese, and includes healthy fats from germ.
Whole grain flour has a high bran interference; therefore, contains no gluten which destroys the gluten building process. Because of this, the stretch and folding process when building the gluten needs to be gentler. This can be done by coil-folding more frequently, with less folds per-round. Moreover, whole wheat contains more nutrients which fuel fermentation, which lead to faster rising. Similarly, whole grains absorb more water which requires 10-20% higher hydration. We will discuss hydration in the follow paragraphs, however, this higher hydration also triggers a faster rise.
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Rye Flour
Many believe that rye flour works best with sourdough, as it contains high levels of amylase enzymes. These break down starch into sugar which, without the sourdough starter included (being high in acidity), can leave it sticky and un-workable. This is due to ryes high hydration/ high water absorption, which also accounts for its structure. Since rye contains little gluten, it relies on its own fibre network made by water binding with pentosans. Rye is also packed with nutrients which feed the yeast and bacteria in the starter, causing it to ferment fast.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8xvPS2tRPl/?igsh=MXRnNWJweXJkNDBycw==
All-Purpose Flour
Ok, I have beef with A-LOT of all-purpose/ white flours in stores nowadays, because they are all enriched. This means that the essential vitamins and nutrients that are in organic, fresh white flours are taken out to prolong shelf-life. From there, they are ‘enriched’ with synthetic forms of those nutrients (B vitamins, iron, folic acid, bromate), which our bodies cannot break down as easily/ not at all.
- I like to buy organic flour from Whole Foods or Lifestyles market on Douglas Street in Victoria (any local organic market or grocery store will have it).
All-purpose flour absorbs less water than bread flour and therefore, needs less water to avoid a flat loaf/ no oven spring. Moreover, it contains less gluten than bread flour which requires frequent, yet, gentle folding to build a throng gluten network. This works alongside a shorter bulk-fermentation due to the gluten structure breaking down faster. A longer cold-proof in the fridge can aid in the hold of the breads structure. In sum, all-purpose may not be the best flour for a beginner when making sourdough, as it requires more diligence.
Bread Flour
I personally love baking with bread flour for an everyday loaf, as it provides a strong rise, chewy crumb, great sour flavours, and holds a great structure. Bread flour contains high levels of gliadin and glutenin, which forms a strong gluten network when hydrated (making a loaf). This allows for a strong hold during fermentation, as it traps the CO2 that is produced when the yeast eats the sugars in the flour. Therefore, the starter acts as a symbiotic culture of bacteria, and yeast. This is bolstered by the lactic acid bacteria in the starter that converts the maltose into lactic and acetic acids, lowering the doughs pH and enhancing gluten strength. Since it is higher in protein, it also requires higher hydration levels (which also makes it less-sticky). Due to the acidic production, salt is required to tighten the dough and further strengthening the gluten network.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1006060197306320/posts/1342088413703495
Water: Filtered, Unfiltered, and Temperature
Filtered water is typically recommended in any sourdough recipe, as it removes chlorine, chloramine, and heavy metals. These can harm the microbes in your starter, while killing beneficial yeast and bacteria in your dough, leading to a weak loaf that lacks structure.
A doughs temperature should sit around 24-27 degrees Celsius; however, if you want to speed up fermentation, you can add warm water (approximately 29 degrees Celsius). You may want to avoid this a pot for patience, as warm water can result in killing yeast. Conversely, cold water will yield a slow fermentation, which can be useful when dealing with fast-rising dough. What can we take from this? Always bake with filtered water, and a use a thermometer to check your dough while being aware of your kitchens temperature: if it is cold, use warm water; if it is warm, use cold water.
https://thebrotbox.com/blogs/news/how-water-quality-affects-bread-baking
What is Hydration?
Hydration just means how much water is in your dough, expressed as a percentage. This determines: the wetness/dryness of your loaf, how it will be to handle, and what your crumb will look like.
The simple formula to this is: Hydration % = Water/Flour x 100
A bread recipe hydration would be: 500g flour, 30g water, and 100g starter @ 100% hydration (meaning the starter is 1:1 flour and water; 50g flour, 50g water).
Therefore, the total dough hydration (recipe + starter) would be: Flour 500g (bread) + 50g (starter) = 550g; Water 350g (bread) + 50g (starter) = 400g
400g/550g x 100g = 73% Hydration
Low/Medium Hydration
Hydration under 75% results in stiffer dough, easier shape, tighter crumb, great. Structure, and is great for beginners. If you go as low as 50% hydration, you will get a small, dense loaf with a tight crumb. This is not usually optimal, as we want a nice oven spring with good air pockets. 75% is perfect, as it provides good spring, a medium crumb, with nice big air pockets.
Low hydration is best for: Bagels, pretzels, and pizza dough
Medium hydration is best for: Sandwich bread, dinner roles, and artisan loaves
High Hydration
Hydration above 75%results in a flat, wide loaf with large air pockets. The dough will be harder to control, which requires strong gluten and confident handling. This results in a thinner and crispier loaf, while staying fresher longer due to its high water content. The dough will ferment faster due to moisture acceleration microbial activity.
High Hydration is best for: Ciabatta, focaccia, and open-crumb loaves
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