5 Tips: Working With High-Hydration Dough

As a part of our Artisan Bread Initiative, our own Martin Philip is here with his 5 best tips on working with high-hydration doughs. You see, high-hydration doughs create many of the crackly-crusted, chewy and “holey” loaves that come to mind when you think of artisan bread. Mixing and kneading doughs at such high hydration levels is quite a different — and often more challenging — experience than you’d find with a typical sandwich bread.

[leapintothewild]

This is the only channel where I read ALL the comments -- such great info here, too! Questions I might not have thought of, and always such great replies. Thanks to KA for actually answering and not ignoring comments like most pages... :-)

[beverlyfitzgerald]

@KingArthurBaking. Currently, I just completed the second set of COIL folding. Am finding it’s a whole lot of fun and feels rewarding to watch the dough becoming more strengthened as I progress through the steps. Will not divide into all those smaller loaves. I don’t have a baking stone and, at my age of 84+, won’t buy one. It’ll have to be cast iron, of which I have a wide selection. Trying to decide between my double griddle (which is much too heavy and cumbersome) vs. 12 inch Lodge Blacklock skillet. I absolutely love how this video demonstrates the steps so well. Thank you very much for taking the time to make it.

[mingulay]

With you tube whatever you are trying to learn you have to find your particular teacher. Most times we think it is us, that we are just not getting it. But if we persevere along comes that person who just seems to be on the same wavelength. For me it is Martin. Thank you so much for solving everything.

[evanhughes]

Wow, this was a really helpful video! Both the folding and especially the shaping of the dough was eye opening! I am working with 75% hydrated dough making Bloomers and I noticed surface tearing and had challenges shaping the dough to retain tension. Your method, only gently handling the dough and the use of the bench scraper to shape the dough, was a total game changer! Thank you!! :-)

[neliborba]

Thanks for the lesson. I grew up with artisan bread made by grandmother which she baked in a large brick oven heated with wood. She used 8 kilos of flour kneading it all by hand in a large terracotta pan. It was a tough task that would take a whole night and part of the day.

[josephinflorida]

Excellent video series. I watch it over and over and always learn so new. Thank

[KingArthurBakingCompany]

While you can add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to your dough for flavor, it definitely won't ruin the fermentation. Though too much would cause the dough some trouble in coming together. We hope that helps! Thanks for reaching out, and happy baking. -👨‍🍳Ethan

[diannevita]

Something Martin should mention - whole grain doughs need more hydration, thus his comment that he could have gone to 100% hydration instead of 90%. A white flour at 90% hydration is very, very difficult to work. The lamination fold helps a lot to give this kind of dough more strength.

[vivianhouse]

I am working in 80% Hydration and under bulk cold fermentation now. Thank you for sharing this tutorials, it helps me a lot for pre shaped and final shaped. This is very informative video for beginner like me

[tchin]

Many thanks Martin for the tips especially tip number 5. Learned a lot here that nobody cared to mention even after viewing so many YouTube presentations.

[SergeMarx]

I love this new show Cooking with Malkovich!

[KingArthurBakingCompany]

Thanks so much for reaching out to us, Benjamin, with these suggestions. We will happily pass your thoughts along to Martin. Thanks again, and happy baking! -👨‍🍳Ethan

[BlueJazzBoyNZ]

Great Tuition spread the Bread wealth far and wide.

[CollyWogs]

Those fold ideas were great! I'm going to try that next time I make a high-hydration dough. I sometimes have to rely on a bench scraper while I'm working because my dough gets sticky spots, but this should help!

[johndudash]

Thanks Martin, always good to root and ground those basics!

[lindacoffin]

My first try with a sour dough/ high hydration caused me to panic big time. How do you shape bread soup? Lots to learn. Thank you and King Arthur for this series.

[thechasebake]

Love these tips and this video. Always good to get back to basics! Thank you!

[marcireale]

I've been baking bread for over forty years, and I learned something today. I've not worked with such high hydration doughs much. Thank you!

[stephensheets]

This video is awesome. Best explanation on how to work with high hydration dough I’ve seen. Thanks for making it!

[LuLu-sfcg]

Is good tips from the basics of folding the dough. Last tips is important, man Love to learn more about last tips. Awesome. Thank you . From Borneo.