KRAMB^calc

WHAT IS DOUGH HYDRATION?

Dough hydration is the weight of the liquids in relation to the weight of the flour. Hydration is one of the most important factors in mixing, handling the dough and in the final product appearance. Hydration influences dough crumb and crust, eg. low hydration bagels would be dense and quite tough in texture, but, on the other hand, high hydration baguettes would have an open, airy crumb with lots of open pockets and a thin, crispy crust.

Liquid ingredients are not only water. It could me milk, juice, some kind of puree or even alcohol. It's also very important to take the flour type into consideration, while calculating hydration. Different flours have different protein and gluten levels, which can drastically change final dough look and feel.

Higher protein content equals better gluten development and water absorbing capabilities, so the dough made from strong flour (>13% protein content) can handle much more liquid in the formula.

WHAT ARE BAKER'S PERCENTAGES?

Baker's math is quite different from normal percentage equations. That's because all of the ingredients are calculated in the relation to total flour weight and not the final weight of the dough.

For example, sugar content in dough made using 500g of flour and 100g of sugar, would be 20%, because 100g makes 20% of the 500g.

Remember to always input eggs' and yolks' weight in grams, not by their count.
One egg is approximately 56g without the shell. One yolk weights around 18g.

*Eggs and yolks increase total hydration.

If you have any questions, feel free to DM me on my Instagram account @ouuukrt.
Also, if you'd notice any issues, or maybe want to request a new feature - I'm here to help.