Emmer Flour (Farro)
0.950× absorption · 13.00–15.00% protein · hydration 65–75%
For sourdough, Emmer Flour (Farro) works best at 65–75% hydration. With 13.00–15.00% protein, it absorbs about 5% less water than standard bread flour.
- Protein
- 13.00–15.00%
- Absorption
- 0.950×
- Hydration range
- 65–75%
- Category
- ancient-grain
What is Emmer Flour (Farro)?
Emmer (Triticum dicoccum, known as farro medio in Italy) is an ancient hulled wheat, intermediate between einkorn and modern wheat in gluten behavior. Absorption is 5% less than bread flour. Flavor is nutty and earthy, more robust than spelt but gentler than whole wheat. Jovial Foods and Central Milling both offer emmer. Use at 25-50% in blends for complex flavor profiles. Popular in Tuscan-style hearth breads and rustic Italian loaves. Supports hydration up to 75% but no higher.
How do you bake with Emmer Flour (Farro)?
Medium autolyse (30-45 min). 2-3 gentle stretch-and-folds. Moderately extended bulk (similar to bread flour). Emmer tolerates retarded proofing well. Pair with 20-30% bread flour for structure support in free-form hearth loaves.
What hydration % for Emmer Flour (Farro)?
Baker's-percentage workable range: 65% — 75%. Absorption is 0.950× bread-flour baseline, so recipes written for bread flour need 5% less water when substituting Emmer Flour (Farro).
Related references on this site
- Emmer Flour (Farro) at 70% hydration — formula — calculator pre-set with this flour and hydration combination
- Emmer Flour (Farro) hydration range deep-dive — 65-75% workable range with technique notes
- Guide: baker's percentage explained — how protein, absorption, and hydration combine in the math
- Guide: whole-grain hydration adjustments — absorption multipliers for whole-wheat, rye, spelt, einkorn
- All 15 flour types — grouped by category (refined, whole-wheat, rye, ancient-grain)
- Reverse calculator: water → hydration % — you have a flour-and-water weight, want the hydration
- Water temperature calculator — your flour temperature is an input — land the dough at the target
- Hydration chart by bread type — typical hydration % for every loaf, at a glance
The gear that makes the math work
A short, honest baking kit. The scale matters most — every weight on this page is in grams. The Dutch oven is what turns a good crumb into a great crust.
- Digital kitchen scale (0.1 g)View on Amazon →
- Dutch oven / combo cookerView on Amazon →
- Banneton proofing basketView on Amazon →
- Bread lame + bench scraperView on Amazon →
- High-protein bread flourView on Amazon →
- Danish dough whiskView on Amazon →
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