What is dough hydration and how do I calculate it?
Hydration is the ratio of water to flour in a dough, expressed as a percentage. A dough made with 500g of flour and 375g of water has 75% hydration.
Hydration directly affects the final bread:
- 60–65% — firm, easy to handle, good for rolls and shaped loaves
- 70–75% — moderate, produces an open crumb, standard sourdough range
- 80%+ — wet and sticky, produces large irregular holes, requires good technique (ciabatta, some sourdoughs)
Scaling a recipe up or down while keeping the same hydration means adjusting all ingredients proportionally. The Bread Hydration Calculator takes any combination of flour and water weights, returns the hydration percentage, and lets you scale to a target batch size while preserving the ratio.
How do I convert between fresh yeast, dry yeast, and instant yeast?
Recipes use three types of yeast interchangeably, but the quantities are not the same:
- Fresh yeast (compressed): strongest water content, shortest shelf life
- Active dry yeast: dried and granulated, needs to be activated in warm water before use
- Instant yeast (fast-acting): finer grind, mixed directly into flour, most concentrated
General conversions:
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh | Active dry | 0.4 |
| Fresh | Instant | 0.33 |
| Active dry | Instant | 0.75 |
How do I convert cups, tablespoons, and grams for baking?
Baking precision matters. A cup of flour can weigh anywhere from 120g to 160g depending on how it is scooped. Volume measures are unreliable for flour, sugar, and butter — weight is more consistent.
Common conversions that catch people out:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour ≈ 120–130g (sifted) to 150g (packed)
- 1 tablespoon butter = 14g
- 1 cup granulated sugar = 200g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder = 4g
The Cooking Unit Converter covers cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, milliliters, grams, and ounces for common ingredients — with density-aware conversions for volume-to-weight calculations.
How long should I bake my bread?
Baking time depends on the loaf size, shape, and oven temperature. A general rule: internal temperature is a better indicator than time. Most breads are done at 93–96°C (200–205°F) internal temperature.
Common baking times and temperatures:
| Type | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Standard white loaf | 230°C / 450°F | 30–35 min |
| Sourdough boule | 240°C / 465°F | 40–45 min (with lid for first 20) |
| Dinner rolls | 200°C / 390°F | 18–22 min |
| Baguettes | 250°C / 480°F | 20–25 min |
Summary
Good bread comes from consistent ratios and precise technique. The four tools above — hydration calculator, yeast converter, unit converter, and kitchen timer — give you the numbers to back up the feel.