Baking Bread? Try Using This 5:3 Ratio For Foolproof Results - Tasting Table

Bread-making requires patience and scientific understanding, from gluten development to scoring and oven control. Hydration ratio, the flour-to-water ratio, determines whether dough holds together or becomes too sticky to rise properly. Different breads use different hydration levels: focaccia uses high hydration for a very wet dough, while bagels use low hydration for chewiness. A starting point for basic homemade bread dough is 5 parts flour to 3 parts water by weight, which can serve as a base for pizza dough, flatbread, or braided breads. Yeast amount depends on the recipe and salt level. The ratio can be adapted with additions like roasted garlic, rosemary, herbs, or spicy peppers, and with whole-grain or potato flour, which may require ratio or technique changes due to different hydration behavior.

"If your bread is too dry, the dough won't hold together. But if it's too wet, it will stick to everything and not rise properly. The hydration ratio - the ratio of flour to water - will depend on the type of bread you're making. Focaccia is a high-hydration dough, meaning that it is very wet. Bagels are low-hydration, which creates their signature chewiness."

"For a good place to start, author and chef Michael Ruhlman recommends using a ratio of 5 parts flour to 3 parts water by weight for a basic homemade bread dough. He claims that it can be used as a base for pizza dough, flatbread, or braided breads. However, this is not all that you need. In his book, "Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking," he says that the amount of yeast is dependent on the recipe you use, as well as the amount of salt."

"In his book, Ruhlman offers some ways to elevate this ratio and basic bread loaf, like making a roasted garlic and rosemary ciabatta or adding fresh herbs or spicy peppers. He also says you can use whole-grain or even potato flour - though since different types of flours hydrate differently, you may need to change the ratio or use a different technique to get the bread that you want."

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