Hydration guide

High-Extraction Flour Hydration Guide

Workable range: 72–82% · Absorption: 1.030× bread flour · Midpoint target: 77%

How High-Extraction Flour behaves at each hydration

High-extraction flour (also called 'T85' in French classification or 'sifted whole wheat' colloquially) contains 80-90% of the wheat kernel — more of the bran and germ than refined bread flour (which extracts ~72%), but less than whole wheat (100%). The result is flavor complexity approaching whole wheat with handling properties closer to bread flour. Absorption is 3% above bread flour. Central Milling's Artisan Bakers Craft Plus and Bob's Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour are references. Chad Robertson's Tartine Country Loaf historically used high-extraction at 80% + whole wheat at 10% + bread flour at 10% for its signature flavor profile.

Substituting High-Extraction Flour for bread flour

Absorption multiplier: 1.030×. When substituting for bread flour, add about 3% more water. For example: a 75% bread-flour recipe becomes 77% when using 100% High-Extraction Flour.

The calculator below is pre-set to 77%. Adjust the slider to match your target. Salt and levain percentages are the flour-independent defaults (2.0% and 20%).

Technique at target hydration

Autolyse 45-60 min. 3-4 stretch-and-folds. Supports 78-80% hydration reliably. Excellent base for country-loaf-style hearth breads.

Calculator pre-set to 77%

Flour to add
450 g
Water to add
335 g
Salt
10 g
Levain @ 100%
100 g
Total dough
895 g
Effective hydration
77%
How the math works

Total water = flour × hydration %. Your levain contributes 50 g flour + 50 g water — both count toward the totals. You add only the remainder as fresh flour and water.

Salt % is computed on total flour weight, not final-dough flour.

Open 75% hydration guide →

The gear that makes the math work

A short, honest baking kit. The scale matters most — every weight on this page is in grams. The Dutch oven is what turns a good crumb into a great crust.

  • Digital kitchen scale (0.1 g)

    Baker's percentage is by weight, not volume — a 0.1 g scale is what makes the math on this page accurate.

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  • Dutch oven / combo cooker

    Traps steam for the first bake phase — the single biggest factor in oven spring and a blistered, glossy crust.

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  • Banneton proofing basket

    Wicks moisture and holds shape during the final proof, so high-hydration dough doesn't spread flat.

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  • Bread lame + bench scraper

    A sharp lame scores clean ears; a steel bench scraper handles wet, sticky dough without tearing the gluten.

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  • High-protein bread flour

    The math assumes ~12–14% protein. Real bread flour absorbs the hydration you calculate — all-purpose won't.

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  • Danish dough whisk

    Mixes shaggy, high-hydration dough in seconds without the gluey mess of a spoon or your hands.

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🎧 Or learn the craft by ear

The numbers here are the what; a good baking book is the why. An Audible trial gets you any title free — Michael Pollan’s Cooked(the “Air” chapter is the best story ever told about why bread rises) is a perfect first listen.

Start a free Audible trial →

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Gear guides — what actually matters