Bassinage
A staged water-addition technique that lets very high-hydration doughs develop structure before taking on their final water content.
Skill level: advanced
Purpose
Adds a portion of the total water later in mixing, after gluten has developed, to reach a higher final hydration without an overly slack early mix
Styles using this technique
Lets the very high-hydration dough develop structure before taking on its full water content.
Method
Mix the bulk of the dough at a lower hydration, develop gluten, then gradually incorporate the remaining reserved water
When to use it
- Very high-hydration doughs (comfortably above 75%)
Risks
- Adding water too quickly can cause the dough to break and become difficult to re-incorporate
Alternatives
- Mixing all water upfront works for moderate hydrations but becomes harder to manage at very high hydration