Recipe hydration
Spelt Hearth Loaf — Hydration Guide
Target 70%. Workable range 65–75%.
Why this hydration for Spelt Hearth Loaf?
Spelt hearth loaf with 20% bread flour for structural support. 100% spelt is possible but fragile; 80/20 blend gives the nutty spelt flavor with reliable oven spring. Lower hydration (70%) than bread-flour-based doughs because spelt absorbs less water. Shorter fermentation to prevent gluten over-degradation.
Flour mix: 80% spelt · 20% bread flour.
Technique at 70%
Short autolyse (20 min). 2-3 GENTLE stretch-and-folds (spelt gluten tears easily). 3h bulk. Shape carefully, floured banneton, 6h cold retard. Bake in dutch oven 450°F: 20 min lid on, 18 min off.
Calculator pre-set to 70%
- Flour to add
- 450 g
- Water to add
- 300 g
- Salt
- 10 g
- Levain @ 100%
- 100 g
- Total dough
- 860 g
- Effective hydration
- 70%
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.