Flour Power: Which One Is Best For Your Dough?

If you've ever been in doubt about if the flour you have at hand is the appropriate one for the recipe you want to attempt, then you're in the right place. Keep reading to learn the most common characteristics that will help you verify if you have the right flour and get the right one if you don't.

What is Flour Strength?

In recent times, every mill’s quality control procedures include certain measurements that are fundamental to the proper evaluation, cataloging, and sale of flours.

Among these measurements is the strength of the flour (W). Put simply, it is a number that quantifies the resistance (P) and extensibility (L) of the dough.

The “strength of flour” is defined as the ability of the flour to absorb water while being kneaded and its capacity to retain carbon dioxide during proofing.

Structurally, the capacity of flour to absorb different amounts of water depends on the total amount of protein (gliadin, glutenin) and on the relationship between them.

A flour with high strength (W) values is best for products with a long proofing phase, like bread, pizza, and panettone, while weaker flours are more suited to baked goods that don’t require a lot of proofing, like shortbread, pastry dough, breadsticks, or cookies.

What is the strength (W) range used for bread? Where can one find this information?

For bread, it's recommended to use flours with a medium to high strength. However the choice ultimately depends on the type of bread you wish to prepare.

If you want to make a bread that contains fats, like an oil bread or a baguette, then medium strength flours (170 < W < 280) is just fine. But for breads with a longer proofing phase, a crumb that really expands, and substantial air pockets, like kneaded bread, brioche, Neapolitan pizza, and focaccia, it is best to choose a strong flour (280 < W < 350).

This information  can be found on the package or on the producer’s website, making it quick for you to select the flour that you need!

What categories do flours fall into?

There are 5 primary categories of flour with a different range of W values that point to what it’s best used for.

1. 00 FLOUR or PASTRY FLOUR

This is a very refined wheat flour. It indicates a flour that has been obtained exclusively from the most internal part of the wheat berry, or rather the endosperm. It is rich in starch and has a protein content of approximately 9%. Its W index varies between 90 and 180, making it a weak flour ideal for cakes, cookies, and shortbread.

2. 0 FLOUR or ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

This is also wheat flour but it is less refined than the 00. Its W index oscillates between 180 and 280 making it a medium strength flour. This flour can be used for breadsticks, breads which contain fats, and breads which do not require a long proofing phase

3. TYPE 1 FLOUR

This is a flour that contains varying amounts of fiber, nutrients, and proteins, making its W index highly variable. The W values vary between 180 and 350 and the protein content is between 11% and 12%. It is classified as medium-strong and can be used for cakes, cookies, and breads without long proofing phases.

4. TYPE 2 FLOUR

It is less refined than the previous ones and has a W index that varies from 180 to 350, creating flours that oscillate between medium and strong. This is why it can be used for the same strong baking as type 1 flour.

5. WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR

It is the richest flour in terms of nutritional content. Its protein content hovers between 13% and 14% and its W index varies from 280 to 300, therefore this flour is considered strong. It’s suitable for long leavened and rustic leavened products.

6. MANITOBA FLOUR

This flour has the absolute highest W values, even though it doesn’t contain bran and undergoes a very fine milling process. It is considered strong and suitable as a foundation for sweets with a long proofing phase and that are rich in fats, like panettone, pandoro, and colomba.