What type of flour makes the best pizza? This age-old question has puzzled pizza enthusiasts for generations. From bleached all-purpose to Italian double zero flour, the options are vast and often confusing. This exploration delves into the world of flour, comparing different types and their impact on two distinct pizza styles: Detroit and Neapolitan. We’ll examine key factors like protein content, ash content, and added ingredients to help you choose the perfect flour for your next pizza masterpiece.
Bleached all-purpose, unbleached all-purpose, bread flour, and Italian double zero flour were selected for this experiment. These flours represent a range of price points and flour particle compositions. The first question that arises is why the double zero flour commands a premium price, and if you’re from Europe, you might be wondering what bleached flour even is, as it’s not permitted there. We’ll address these questions and explore the differences between these flours.
The journey begins with understanding how flour is produced. Wheat grains, harvested from fields, are cleaned and separated. These grains are then milled, transforming them into the flour we purchase. Each wheat berry consists of three parts: the bran, the endosperm, and the germ. The milling process aims to separate the bran and germ from the endosperm, maximizing flour production from the endosperm. Each flour has an extraction rate, indicating the amount of flour extracted from the grains. All-purpose and bread flours in the US typically have a 70% extraction rate, while Italian double zero flour has a 50% extraction rate, indicating a more refined product.
Wheat grain anatomy
The cheapest all-purpose flour often contains visible brown flecks, likely remnants of the bran and germ. These small particles can impact dough performance, potentially explaining why cheaper all-purpose flours sometimes don’t rise as well. However, this is just one variable among many contributing factors.
A key tool for understanding flour functionality is the Chopin Alveograph. This machine evaluates how different flours perform in dough by measuring the dough’s extensibility and resistance. It simulates the dough’s behavior during proofing and baking, providing valuable insights into its potential. While a deep understanding of the science behind the Alveograph isn’t necessary, it highlights a fundamental point: different flours produce measurably different doughs, resulting in varying textures and qualities.
Chopin Alveograph test
This difference in dough behavior leads to two critical questions: what variables cause these flours to produce different doughs, and how noticeable are these differences in taste and texture?
The first pizza test featured the Detroit style, a popular choice for home cooks. Four identical dough batches were created, using the four different flours. After rising, the bread flour exhibited the most significant rise, followed by the double zero, unbleached all-purpose, and bleached all-purpose flours. The doughs were then shaped, topped with cheese and sauce, and baked in a 425°F oven.
Detroit-style pizza
Post-baking, the bread flour showed the best browning, while the double zero and bleached all-purpose flours lagged slightly. A more significant difference was observed in the crumb. The bread flour resulted in the airiest crumb, while the all-purpose flours produced denser textures. The double zero flour exhibited larger bubbles but didn’t achieve the same airy lightness as the bread flour. In the taste test, the bread flour emerged as the clear winner for the Detroit-style pizza, offering a delightful contrast between a crisp crust and a light, airy interior.
The second pizza test focused on Neapolitan-style pizza, which introduces new variables in dough preparation. This style uses a lower hydration dough, a significantly smaller amount of yeast, a longer fermentation time (12 hours), and a much higher oven temperature (900°F).
Neapolitan-style pizza
The Neapolitan doughs were shaped, topped, and cooked in a 900°F oven. While all the flours produced visually appealing pizzas, subtle differences emerged. The hard wheat flours exhibited slightly deeper browning compared to the soft wheat double zero flour. The bread flour again resulted in the airiest crumb, followed by the unbleached all-purpose, double zero, and bleached all-purpose flours. Interestingly, for the Neapolitan style, the double zero flour provided the preferred texture, with a tender bite that complemented the style. While the double zero performed well, the high price tag makes it less practical for regular use.
Four key variables influence flour performance: the type of wheat grain, gluten protein content, ash content, and added ingredients. Hard red wheat, used in most all-purpose and bread flours, has a higher protein content compared to soft wheat, common in European flours. Gluten, a network of proteins, allows dough to stretch and hold its shape. The gluten network is formed by two proteins: glutenin and gliadin. Glutenin contributes elasticity, while gliadin adds plasticity. The quantity and quality of gluten proteins determine the strength and elasticity of the dough.
Ash content, the mineral content in flour, indirectly measures how well the bran and germ were separated from the endosperm. Bleached flour undergoes a whitening process that can impact its rising capabilities. Enriched flour has added nutrients to compensate for those lost during milling.
Ultimately, the choice of flour depends on the desired pizza style and personal preferences. While all four flours produced acceptable results, bread flour excelled in Detroit-style pizza, and double zero flour shone in Neapolitan style. Understanding these variables allows for informed decisions about which flour best suits your needs and budget.