Recipe hydration
Pain de Campagne (Variant with Rye) — Hydration Guide
Target 75%. Workable range 72–78%.
Why this hydration for Pain de Campagne (Variant with Rye)?
Pain de Campagne with higher rye percentage (10%) than the standard country loaf. More pronounced earthy-tangy flavor, slightly denser crumb. Classical French countryside bread. Use a 100% hydration rye-spiked levain for maximum flavor development.
Flour mix: 10% rye medium · 75% bread flour · 15% whole wheat.
What 75% hydration does for Pain de Campagne (Variant with Rye)
At its 75% target, Pain de Campagne (Variant with Rye) bakes up with an open, custardy crumb with irregular holes and a glossy interior — the water gives lift and chew. That's why the style sits where it does on the scale — push it much drier and it tightens toward a sandwich loaf; push it much wetter and it slackens past what the hearth structure can hold.
Worked water math for a 500 g batch
| Flour | 500 g (100%) |
| Water | 375 g (75%) |
| Salt | 10 g (2%) |
| Levain | 90 g (~18%) |
The levain already carries some of that flour and water. The calculator below subtracts its contribution so the numbers you actually weigh at the bench hit 75% exactly.
How this flour mix drinks
Pain de Campagne (Variant with Rye) uses 10% rye medium · 75% bread flour · 15% whole wheat. The 25% whole-grain portion (rye medium, whole wheat) absorbs more water than white bread flour, so the dough feels a touch stiffer than its 75% number suggests — give it a longer autolyse and hold back a little water to add later if needed.
Technique at 75%
Autolyse 45 min, all flours + 90% water at 78°F. Add levain (with some rye in it for flavor), salt, remaining water. 4 folds in 2h. Total bulk 4h. Shape boule, cold retard 12h. Bake 500°F dutch oven 20+25 min.
Calculator pre-set to 75%
- Flour to add
- 450 g
- Water to add
- 325 g
- Salt
- 10 g
- Levain @ 100%
- 100 g
- Total dough
- 885 g
- Effective hydration
- 75%
How the math works
Total water = flour × hydration %. Your levain contributes 50 g flour + 50 g water — both count toward the totals. You add only the remainder as fresh flour and water.
Salt % is computed on total flour weight, not final-dough flour.
Pain de Campagne (Variant with Rye) hydration — FAQ
What hydration is Pain de Campagne (Variant with Rye) meant to be?
Target 75% — that's 75 g of water per 100 g of flour by weight. The workable range is 72–78% depending on your flour and handling skill.
How much water do I need for Pain de Campagne (Variant with Rye)?
Multiply your flour weight by 0.75. For a 500 g flour batch that's 375 g water, plus about 10 g salt (2%). The calculator on this page also subtracts the water your levain already contributes.
Can I make Pain de Campagne (Variant with Rye) at a lower hydration?
Down to about 72% gives a tighter crumb and much easier, less sticky handling — a good starting point if you're new to this style. Below 72% the open, characteristic Pain de Campagne (Variant with Rye) texture is largely lost.
Can I make Pain de Campagne (Variant with Rye) at a higher hydration?
Up to about 78% opens the crumb further but demands confident wet-dough handling (more folds, a well-floured bench, decisive shaping). Above 78% the structure usually slackens and the loaf spreads instead of rising.
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 lameView on Amazon →
- Bench scraperView on Amazon →
- High-protein bread flourView on Amazon →
- Danish dough whiskView on Amazon →
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