Total Flour Weight (Base 100.0%)Master Reference Mass (grams / ounces)
The foundational benchmark in baker's mathematics against which all other ingredients are proportionally scaled. In artisan formulas, total flour is always strictly 100.0%, whether baking a single 800g boule or a 50kg production batch.
Default: 1,000 g (100.0%)
Total Dough Hydration (Water Absorption Ratio)Moisture Percentage (% of total flour)
The ratio of total liquid to total flour. Standard artisan thresholds: 65% to 68% for manageable beginner loaves, 72% to 76% for classic open-crumb country boules, and 78% to 85%+ for wild open-crumb sourdough or focaccia.
Default: 75.0% (Classic Country Crumb)
Active Levain Inoculation RateFermentation Seed Percentage (% of flour)
The proportion of ripe, active sourdough starter added to the mix. Standard safe range is 15% to 25%. Inoculations below 10% risk sluggish acidification and enzymatic dough breakdown, while exceeding 30% accelerates bulk fermentation too quickly and risks over-proofing.
Default: 20.0% (200 g per 1,000 g flour)
Sourdough Starter Hydration (Feeding Ratio)Starter Moisture Ratio (% water to flour)
The hydration at which the mother starter is maintained. A standard 1:1 feeding creates a 100% hydration liquid starter (50% flour, 50% water). Stiff levains (50% to 60%) promote acetic acid notes, whereas liquid starters (100% to 125%) favor lactic sweetness.
Default: 100.0% (1:1 Feeding: 50% Flour / 50% Water)
Fine Sea Salt ConcentrationGluten Structure & Fermentation Regulator (% of flour)
Essential mineral regulator that tightens gluten strands and modulates yeast fermentation rate. Gold standard artisan range is 1.8% to 2.2% (typically 2.0%). Concentrations below 1.5% yield pale crust and slack, sticky dough, while above 2.5% retards fermentation excessively.
Default: 2.0% (20 g per 1,000 g flour)
Bassinage Reserved Water AllocationStaged Hydration Split (% of recipe water)
The fraction of recipe water (typically 4% to 8%) withheld during the initial autolyse and kneaded into the dough alongside salt. Bassinage allows early gluten cross-linking in a firmer dough without drowning developing gluten chains.
Default: 4.0% to 5.0% Reserved for Salt Stage
Multi-Grain Blend Absorption OffsetGrain Hydration Compensation Factor (% absorption)
Adjustment factor accounting for whole grain bran and fiber moisture uptake. Whole wheat flour absorbs 10% to 15% more water than refined white flour, and dark rye absorbs up to 20% more due to pentosan gums, requiring hydration compensation to maintain dough feel.
Default: 80% Bread Flour / 20% Whole Wheat
Ambient Bulk Fermentation TemperatureThermal Kinetic Benchmark (°C / °F)
The ambient temperature of the dough proofing environment. Microbial activity follows Arrhenius kinetics: optimal wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria activity occurs between 24°C and 27°C (75°F to 80°F), with fermentation speed halving near 18°C (64°F).
Default: 24°C / 75°F (Standard Proofing Benchmark)
