1000g Sourdough at 70% Hydration
Exact ingredient weights for your sourdough recipe
A 1000g mix at 70% hydration yields about 1720g of finished dough, enough for one large boule or two 450g loaves. Expect a balanced open crumb — this hydration is intermediate and best suits classic batards and boules. Ratios use 20% starter and 2% salt by flour weight.
The baker's dozen batch
One kilogram of flour at 70% hydration is the go-to recipe for serious home bakers. You'll produce enough dough for 2-3 beautiful artisan loaves with classic sourdough character. This is the batch size professional home bakers use for farmers markets, bread shares, or simply keeping the household in fresh bread all week.
How do I scale this recipe?
Multiply every ingredient by the same factor and the baker's percentages stay the same — that's why sourdough formulas scale cleanly. Pick the loaf count below and the flour, water, starter, and salt all update in lockstep.
What are the exact ingredient weights?
These four weights are what you actually measure on the scale. Flour and salt come straight from baker's percentages; water is the hydration percent of the flour; the starter contribution is already factored in, so the numbers below are what goes in the bowl.
Flour
900g
Water
600g
Starter
200g
Salt
20g
Note: This recipe uses 20% starter (at 100% hydration) and 2% salt based on total flour weight. Adjust these ratios based on your preference.
What does this hydration level give me?
Hydration sets the trade-off between handling ease and crumb openness. The breakdown below shows what to expect on the counter and in the finished loaf at this specific ratio, plus which shaping styles and flours suit it best.
Target Hydration
70%
Dough Texture
Standard sourdough texture with moderate stickiness. Manageable with wet hands.
Handling Difficulty
Standard difficulty. Suitable for most bakers.
What baking tips help at this hydration?
The tips below are the small adjustments that tend to matter most at this particular hydration — the handling cues, temperature assumptions, and shaping moves that keep the dough on track rather than generic advice.
Scale Everything Carefully
With larger batches, small percentage errors become bigger absolute errors. Weigh your starter, salt, and flour precisely. The effort of a large batch deserves accuracy.
Give Yourself Time
Plan for a full baking day when making multiple loaves. Between sequential bakes and proper cooling time, you might spend 3-4 hours just on the baking phase. Enjoy the process.
What questions come up at this hydration?
How long does bulk fermentation take for 1000g?
Larger dough masses retain heat better and can sometimes ferment slightly faster. However, the same visual cues apply: 50-75% rise, puffy texture, and visible bubbles. At room temperature (70-72F), expect 4-6 hours depending on your starter strength.
What's the best way to fold 1.7kg of dough?
Coil folds work well for large batches - lift the dough from the middle, letting the ends fold underneath from their own weight. Do this in the bowl to contain the mass. Stretch and folds also work but require more counter space.
Can I make different shapes from one batch?
Absolutely! Divide your dough based on what you want: one boule, one batard, and six rolls from the same batch works great. Just shape and proof each type appropriately.
What other recipes should I try?
The recipes below shift either the flour weight or the hydration percent by one step, so you can see how the ingredient numbers and the crumb expectations change without starting over from the hub.