Flour – how to choose the right flour for your baking

Which flour is the healthiest? And which one should you choose for bread, yeast dough, or pizza?

When you start baking at home, sooner or later you will ask yourself at least one question: which flour is the best and which flour is the healthiest? There is not just one answer. It depends on what you are baking, what your tastes are, and how your body reacts to different types of flour. Let's take a closer look.

Which flour is the healthiest?

In general, the healthiest flours are those that have undergone the least amount of processing possible – that is, whole grain. They contain the entire grain, including the germ and bran, and as a result, whole grain flours are rich in fiber, minerals, and B vitamins. The healthiest flours include, for example:

– Whole wheat flour (T1800)
– Rye wholemeal flour
– Whole wheat spelt flour
– Einkorn or einkorn flour

From a nutritional point of view, these flours are the best choice - you just need to take into account that the dough will be handled differently.

What kind of flour for bread?

If you are baking homemade bread, a combination of wheat bread flour (T1000–T1150) and rye flour (T930–T997) is a great choice. Wheat flour will provide elasticity and volume, while rye flour will give the bread softness, taste and better shelf life. And if you want to bake healthier bread , use a proportion of wholemeal flour – for example T1800.

What flour for yeast dough?

For yeast doughs such as buns, cakes or Christmas cakes, a combination of plain flour (T530) and semi-coarse flour (T400) is perfect. Plain flour will give the dough softness, while semi-coarse flour will give structure and elasticity. However, you can also replace some of it with spelt or wholemeal flour if you want a healthier option.

What kind of flour for pizza?

Pizza dough likes a firm, elastic texture – that’s why type 00 is ideal (for example, “ Pasta Fresca ” or “Classica” flour from Italian mills). If you don’t have this flour, plain flour T650 with a higher gluten content will also work well. And if you want a pizza with a rustic and crispier texture on the surface, mix in a little wholemeal or semolina flour .

What flour is best for baking?

I have important information for you: there is no single best flour for baking . But if I were to recommend the best type for a specific type of baking, specifically with wheat flours it goes like this:

– For cakes, sponge cakes and delicate desserts : T530
– For yeast dough and cakes : T400 + T530
– For pizza and focaccia : Type 00 or T650 or semolina
– For bread : T1000–T1150 + rye flour
– For healthier baking : whole grain flour (T1800, spelt, rye)