THE BASIC INGREDIENT FOR MAKING BREAD: Flour

The most important ingredient in a bread mix or cake mix is flour.

There are various types of flour, with the most well-known ones, at least by reputation, being the classic soft wheat flours type “0” (zero) and type “00” (double zero). Additionally, there is Manitoba flour (which is also a type of soft wheat) and, finally, re-milled durum wheat semolina.

Durum Wheat (Triticum durum) and Soft Wheat (Triticum vulgare)

These are two varieties of wheat, but they are very different from each other. Structurally, they are similar, but they have a different chromosome count (28 for durum wheat and 42 for soft wheat). They are, therefore, two distinct species. Durum wheat is grown in clayey areas with low humidity, while soft wheat is cultivated in fertile soils with a mild climate and abundant rainfall.


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DURUM WHEAT AND SEMOLINA

Durum wheat is a cereal with longer spikes than soft wheat, a yellowish color due to its high carotenoid content, and a slightly translucent appearance. When milled, it has a coarse texture similar to fine sand. The product obtained from its milling is known as semolina. The term “durum wheat flour” is therefore inaccurate. Since the milling process of durum wheat produces a coarse granularity, semolina undergoes an additional milling step to achieve a finer texture, hence the name “re-milled semolina.” While it can be used for bread production (with specific techniques, as otherwise, the bread can be quite heavy), its primary use is for pasta making.

SOFT WHEAT AND FLOUR

Soft wheat, on the other hand, produces what is traditionally called flour, sometimes referred to as white flour. To reiterate, flour refers to the product of milling soft wheat, not durum wheat. Flour is a fine powder with high water absorption capacity and, due to its ability to form a gluten network, is widely used for making bread and pastries. Depending on how and how many times it is milled (referred to as the degree of refinement), different types of flour can be obtained, as explained below.

Typically, milling is done in three stages using three types of rollers:

  1. Break rollers (with grooves spaced apart),
  2. Reduction rollers (with closer grooves), and
  3. Smooth rollers (with a smooth surface).

Each stage is followed by a sifting process to separate the flour from the bran (the outermost part of the wheat kernel) and the middlings (a mixture of fine bran and flour produced in the second and third milling stages).

Flour is classified into the following types:

  • Type “00” flour
  • Type “0” flour
  • Type “1” flour
  • Type “2” flour
  • Whole wheat flour

This classification, defined by law, pertains to purity characteristics rather than baking or usage properties. In other words, the law does not specify the gluten content or protein composition of the flour.

There is a widespread misconception online that type "00" flour is richer in gluten and therefore the best for baking. This is incorrect, as the classifications “0” or “00” only refer to the ash content in the flour, not its gluten content.


MANITOBA FLOUR

Manitoba flour, mentioned earlier, is a type of flour similar to type “00,” but it is characterized by a high protein content and, consequently, high gluten levels. This makes it suitable for special recipes, such as panettone and similar festive baked goods.

The high gluten content is due to the fact that Manitoba flour comes from a different variety of wheat (Triticum aestivum), primarily cultivated in Canada and North America. This variety withstands the cold climates of these regions due to its high protein content, which can reach up to 18%.

Nowadays, flours with similar properties to Manitoba flour are available, but they are produced outside Canada and North America. As a result, they are often referred to as “strong flours” rather than Manitoba flour to avoid geographical misrepresentation.


ITALIAN LAW AND FLOUR TYPES

Italian law, as mentioned, only ensures that flour is free of foreign substances and does not contain an excessive amount of bran or middlings, which would reduce its baking quality (although these components have been increasingly valued in recent years).

The legislator has defined the differences between type "00," "0," "1," "2," and whole wheat flour based on the maximum percentage of bran and middlings (referred to as “ash content”) allowed after milling. Their meanings are as follows:

  • Type “00” flour is the most refined flour, made from the kernel’s core, with a maximum ash content of 0.55%.
  • Type “0” flour allows slightly more ash, between 0.55% and 0.65% (a minimal difference compared to type “00”).
  • Type “1” and “2” flours have even higher ash contents, with maximum levels of 0.80% and 0.95%, respectively.
  • Whole wheat flour is unrefined and contains all parts of the kernel, including the bran.

Recently, two other products have gained popularity: "Kamut" and "Senatore Cappelli." It is important to clarify that these are not flours but semolina products, both derived from durum wheat. These will be discussed in another article (click here).

For more information on the structure of the wheat kernel, its components, and nutritional properties, there are numerous technical resources available online.


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