High-Extraction Flour
1.030× absorption · 12.00–13.50% protein · hydration 72–82%
For sourdough, High-Extraction Flour works best at 72–82% hydration. With 12.00–13.50% protein, it absorbs about 3% more water than standard bread flour.
- Protein
- 12.00–13.50%
- Absorption
- 1.030×
- Hydration range
- 72–82%
- Category
- high-extraction
What is 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.
How do you bake with High-Extraction Flour?
Autolyse 45-60 min. 3-4 stretch-and-folds. Supports 78-80% hydration reliably. Excellent base for country-loaf-style hearth breads.
What hydration % 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
- First Clear Flour — hydration & absorption — same high extraction family — compare protein and water behaviour
- Full comparison: High-Extraction Flour vs Whole Wheat Flour — side-by-side protein, absorption, and hydration-range differences
- 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 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
- Water temperature calculator — your flour temperature is an input — land the dough at the target
- Hydration chart by bread type — typical hydration % for every loaf, at a glance
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.
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High-Extraction Flour at every hydration level
High-Extraction Flour usually works between 72% and 82% hydration — drier gives a stiffer dough, wetter a slacker one. Tap a level for the technique, the absorption math and a calculator set to it.
| Hydration | Water per 500 g | For High-Extraction Flour |
|---|---|---|
| 55% | 275 g | Drier than usual |
| 60% | 300 g | Drier than usual |
| 65% | 325 g | Drier than usual |
| 70% | 350 g | Drier than usual |
| 72% | 360 g | In its range |
| 75% | 375 g | In its range |
| 78% | 390 g | In its range |
| 80% | 400 g | In its range |
| 82% | 410 g | In its range |
| 85% | 425 g | Wetter than usual |
| 90% | 450 g | Wetter than usual |
| 95% | 475 g | Wetter than usual |