Advanced Tips for Pizza Dough with High-Extraction Flour

A wheat kernel comprises three parts: bran, germ, and endosperm.

While refined flours include only the endosperm, whole wheat flours must contain bran and germ in their natural proportions.

High-extraction flours are less refined, retaining some bran and germ, enhancing both flavor and nutritional content.

High-extraction flours combine the nutritional benefits of whole wheat with the baking qualities of refined flours.

They are particularly rich in protein (13%-14%), but the protein behaves differently from that in all-purpose flours, influencing gluten formation and water absorption.

• Blend Your Flours: For optimal results, mix 75%-80% refined high-protein flour with 20%-25% high-extraction flour. This balance offers the best of both worlds—flavor and structure.

• Hydration and Mixing: High-extraction flour absorbs more water. Start with a 30-minute autolyse (mixing flour and water) to hydrate the flour, making the dough easier to handle.

• Fermentation Techniques: Given the robust nature of high-extraction flour, consider a cold fermentation process. This slows down the fermentation, allowing flavors to develop while maintaining the dough's integrity over several days.

The texture and performance of flour significantly depend on its milling process:

• Roller Milled Flour: Best for traditional pizza styles like New York or Neapolitan, as it produces a fine, consistent texture.

• Stone Milled Flour: Offers a coarser texture and richer flavor, ideal for artisanal pizza styles.

• "Modernist Pizza" by Francisco Migoya and Nathan Myhrvold
• "Modernist Bread" by the same authors