Seeded multigrain bread calculator
Hamelman's five-grain levain: a third of the flour weight in seeds and grains via an overnight soaker.
2 × 1065 g · 98% hydration
Type how much flour you have — the portion weight recalculates.
Hamelman’s Five-Grain Levain — the benchmark seeded loaf: a wheat dough carrying a full third of its flour weight in grains and seeds, made possible by an overnight boiling-water soaker. Bread with the density of a health loaf and the crumb of an artisan one.
How it works
The hot soaker
Cracked rye, flaxseed, sunflower seeds and oats — 34% of the flour weight — get covered with boiling water the night before. The soak softens the grains so they enrich the crumb instead of cutting it, and it is where much of the formula’s unusual water lives.
Reading the numbers
Water shows as 98% of the wheat flour — startling until you remember it includes the soaker’s water and the levain’s. Salt runs high at 2.5% because it seasons the seed mass too. The levain preferments 25% of the flour, with a 0.3% yeast spike for schedule insurance.
Handling and baking
The seeded dough feels heavy but ferments actively. Bulk with folds, shape firmly (~1065 g per loaf) — seeds weaken surface tension, so be deliberate — and bake bold with steam. The toasted-seed crust is half the loaf’s argument.
FAQ
Can I swap the seed mix?
Yes — the five-grain template tolerates substitution well if you keep the total around a third of the flour and soak anything hard. Keep flax in mind: it gels the soaker, which is normal, not a mistake.
Do I need the yeast spike?
Hamelman includes 0.3% instant yeast for bakery scheduling; his own adaptation notes say omit it if you retard the loaf overnight. Pure-levain works — just expect a longer, less predictable proof.
Why is my seeded loaf dense?
Unsoaked grains, or fear-driven underhydration. The soaker is non-negotiable, and the dough should feel wetter than a plain loaf — the seeds will claim that water by morning.