How to calculate pizza dough hydration?

Hydration is the ratio of water to flour, expressed as a percentage. For example, 65% hydration means 650g water per 1000g flour. Higher hydration (68-80%) creates lighter, airier dough but is harder to handle. Lower hydration (55-62%) is easier to work with but produces a denser crumb. The Pandough calculator shows flour-specific hydration curves from community testing data.

What is baker's percentage?

Baker's percentage expresses each ingredient as a percentage of the total flour weight. Flour is always 100%. For example, in a recipe with 1000g flour and 650g water, the water is 65%. This system makes it easy to scale recipes up or down while maintaining the same ratios — just change the flour weight and everything else scales proportionally.

How much yeast for cold fermentation?

Cold fermentation (4-6°C) uses significantly less yeast than room temperature rises. For a 24-hour cold ferment, use about 0.1-0.3% fresh yeast (1-3g per 1000g flour). For 48-72 hours, reduce to 0.05-0.1%. The Pandough calculator uses a Q10 fermentation model — yeast activity halves for every 10°C temperature drop — to automatically calculate the exact amount for any time and temperature combination.

What W strength flour should I use for pizza?

W strength measures flour's resistance to deformation. For Neapolitan pizza with a short ferment (6-8h): W220-260. For long cold fermentation (24-72h): W280-350. For pan pizza or focaccia: W170-220. Higher W flours absorb more water and hold their structure during longer fermentation. Browse the Pandough flour database to compare 250+ flours by W strength.

What is a poolish and when should I use one?

A poolish is a pre-ferment made with equal parts flour and water (100% hydration) plus a tiny amount of yeast, fermented 8-16 hours before mixing the final dough. It adds complex flavor, better oven spring, and improved crumb structure. Use a poolish for baguettes, pizza with nuanced flavor, or any bread where you want more depth without longer bulk fermentation.

How do I calculate water temperature for dough?

Use the Factor of 3 method: Water Temperature = (Desired Dough Temp × 3) − Room Temperature − Flour Temperature − Friction Factor. Friction varies by mixing method: hand kneading (3°C), spiral mixer (5°C), stand mixer (8°C), Thermomix (12°C). The Pandough calculator handles this automatically based on your selected mixing method.

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