Recipe hydration
100% Whole Wheat Pan Loaf — Hydration Guide
Target 80%. Workable range 75–85%.
Why this hydration for 100% Whole Wheat Pan Loaf?
100% whole wheat sourdough pan loaf — dense-but-manageable, deeply nutritious, excellent for sandwiches. 80% hydration is essential to soften the bran. Long autolyse (60-90 min) critical. Pan shape provides structure that free-form can't sustain at 100% whole wheat.
Flour mix: 100% whole wheat.
Technique at 80%
Long autolyse (90 min) with 100% of the water at 80°F. Add levain and salt, mix until fully incorporated. 4 stretch-and-folds in 2h. Total bulk 4h. Shape into log, place seam-side down in oiled 9x5 loaf pan. Cold retard overnight. Bake at 425°F for 35-40 min until internal 200°F.
Calculator pre-set to 80%
- Flour to add
- 450 g
- Water to add
- 350 g
- Salt
- 10 g
- Levain @ 100%
- 100 g
- Total dough
- 910 g
- Effective hydration
- 80%
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.