Short answer
Hydration describes the weight of water as a percentage of the weight of flour. The example loaf uses 320 g of water and 500 g of flour, giving 64% hydration.
This non-clinical demonstration shows how a focused explanation can support a practical guide without repeating its steps.
Work out the percentage
Divide the water weight by the flour weight, then multiply by 100:
320 ÷ 500 × 100 = 64%
For this simple dough, only the water is included in that calculation; the oil is listed separately.
| Water for 500 g flour | Hydration |
|---|---|
| 300 g | 60% |
| 320 g | 64% |
| 350 g | 70% |
What changes in practice?
More water generally makes the dough softer and stickier. It can support a more open crumb, but shaping and fermentation also influence the result. A higher percentage is not automatically better.
Strong white bread flour is a straightforward starting point for the demo loaf. Wholemeal flour absorbs water differently and its bran changes the dough’s structure, so a direct substitution may need adjustments.
Adjust gradually
Try the recipe as written first. If you want a softer dough next time, increase the water by 10 g and note what changes. Keeping the other ingredients and method consistent makes the comparison more useful.