What is 'double zero' flour, and when should I be using it?

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All flours are definitely not equal, especially when it comes to making pizza. So, if you’re looking to make a homemade pizza crust as good as your favorite pizzeria, you need double zero flour.

What does “Double Zero” Mean?

In America and a lot of other countries, wheat flours are categorized based on how much protein they contain. In Italy and a few other European countries, the classification is done a little differently; it’s based on how finely ground the flour is, and how much of the germ and bran have been removed.

The Italian grading system includes 2, 1, 0 and 00. Type 2 is the coarsest grind, and it subsequently has the most germ and bran included. As you step down the system, the grind gets finer and more of the germ and bran are removed. Double zero, also referred to as doppio zero or 00 flour, is the most refined. The texture is silky soft, similar to baby powder.

Caputo type 00, one of the most readily available brands in America, is often considered the gold standard. It is used by many chefs around the world, especially those in Naples where pizza is said to have been perfected. It’s designed for home oven temperatures of around 450-500°F. If you have an oven that can go higher, you may want to try their Pizzeria flour, which is designed for ovens that can reach 700°F or more.

Is Double Zero Flour High in Protein?

This is where things start to get a little confusing. The protein content of 00 flour can vary depending on the variety of the wheat. On most 00 flour packages you’ll see it labeled as “soft wheat” or “hard wheat.” Most of the 00 flours available to Americans are soft wheat, made from durum wheat. Depending on the brand, they can range between 11-12.5% protein.

Durum wheat has a high protein content and the gluten it forms is very strong. However, this gluten isn’t as elastic as that in other wheat. As a result, you’ll get a baked good that has a strong structure and bite to it but it doesn’t have that prolonged chew you get from a more elastic gluten.

How Is it Different from All-Purpose Flour?

American all-purpose flour, or British plain flour, has a similar protein content to 00 flour, but there are some differences you’ll usually notice in the texture of the finished baked good. All-purpose flour is made from a blend of different types of wheat, both hard and soft — often durum and red wheat. This allows the producer to get a blend with a specific protein amount that forms a gluten that has more elasticity. What this means is a pizza crust made with all-purpose flour will be chewier.

For more about 'Double Zero' flour, and what you can use as a substitute, continue reading the original article at Taste of Home.