High-Extraction Flour
1.030× absorption · 12.00–13.50% protein · hydration 72–82%
- Protein
- 12.00–13.50%
- Absorption
- 1.030×
- Hydration range
- 72–82%
- Category
- high-extraction
About High-Extraction Flour
High-extraction flour (also called 'T85' in French classification or 'sifted whole wheat' colloquially) contains 80-90% of the wheat kernel — more of the bran and germ than refined bread flour (which extracts ~72%), but less than whole wheat (100%). The result is flavor complexity approaching whole wheat with handling properties closer to bread flour. Absorption is 3% above bread flour. Central Milling's Artisan Bakers Craft Plus and Bob's Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour are references. Chad Robertson's Tartine Country Loaf historically used high-extraction at 80% + whole wheat at 10% + bread flour at 10% for its signature flavor profile.
Technique
Autolyse 45-60 min. 3-4 stretch-and-folds. Supports 78-80% hydration reliably. Excellent base for country-loaf-style hearth breads.
Hydration guide for High-Extraction Flour
Baker's-percentage workable range: 72% — 82%. Absorption is 1.030× bread-flour baseline, so recipes written for bread flour need 3% more water when substituting High-Extraction Flour.
Related references on this site
- High-Extraction Flour at 78% hydration — formula — calculator pre-set with this flour and hydration combination
- High-Extraction Flour hydration range deep-dive — 72-82% workable range with technique notes
- Guide: baker's percentage explained — how protein, absorption, and hydration combine in the math
- Guide: whole-grain hydration adjustments — absorption multipliers for whole-wheat, rye, spelt, einkorn
- All 15 flour types — grouped by category (refined, whole-wheat, rye, ancient-grain)
- Reverse calculator: water → hydration % — you have a flour-and-water weight, want the hydration
The gear that makes the math work
A short, honest baking kit. The scale matters most — every weight on this page is in grams. The Dutch oven is what turns a good crumb into a great crust.
- Digital kitchen scale (0.1 g)View on Amazon →
- Dutch oven / combo cookerView on Amazon →
- Banneton proofing basketView on Amazon →
- Bread lame + bench scraperView on Amazon →
- High-protein bread flourView on Amazon →
- Danish dough whiskView on Amazon →
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