A baker told me my focaccia was too wet, and it changed my whole approach.

They said my 80% hydration dough was more like a batter and needed a stronger flour. I switched to a high-protein bread flour and cut the water to 75%, and the structure is way better now. Do you think there's a 'perfect' hydration, or is it all about the flour you use?

3 comments

3 Comments

claire_hayes352mo ago

Remember my first focaccia, it was so wet I could have used it to grout my bathroom tiles. Your baker gave you solid advice. The perfect hydration is a moving target, it absolutely depends on your flour and even the weather in your kitchen. Finding that sweet spot where it's workable but still open is the real trick.

taylor.jordan1mo ago

My old Italian neighbor swore by the feel of the dough at 4pm, said the light in her kitchen changed how she judged it. She never used a scale, just a well in the flour and her hands. It sounds wild but after a few disasters I started paying more attention to the dough's shine and less to the exact grams of water. That visual cue of it looking glossy but not soupy changed my game.

angela_king392mo ago

My last batch needed 50 grams less water than the recipe said. The flour just felt thirstier that day, maybe from the humidity. I got those big bubbles by adding it slowly until the dough felt right.