Glossary

Hydration

Hydration is the weight of water in a dough compared with the weight of flour, written as a percentage. A dough made with 500 g of flour and 350 g of water is at 70% hydration. It matters because it shapes the crumb: higher hydration gives a softer, stickier dough and more open holes, while lower hydration gives a firmer dough and a tighter crumb. Stiff bagel doughs sit near the low end, sandwich loaves in the middle and rustic loaves higher. Weighing ingredients is the most reliable way to control it. See also: Crumb, Autolyse and the guide "Water Temperature and Hydration in Yeast Dough".