What does it mean for a flour to be "strong" or "reinforced"?
When describing flour, I sometimes see people comparing flours and saying that one is strong or stronger than another.
I also see flours that claim to be reinforced such as the Antimo Caputo 00 Rinforzato, where Rinforzato = Reinforced.
I had my own idea of what it meant, thinking it had something to do with higher gluten content, but right now, I'm not sure if that is correct.
Best Answer
Strong flour does mean higher gluten flour. I can't really find much info out about the Rinforzato flour. My guess would be that that could mean "enriched" but since another question (Red and blue Antimo Caputo 00 flour) seems to indicate that it has higher protein, it may just have some added vital wheat gluten to make it stronger.
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What does strong mean in strong flour?
Strong flour is higher in protein Compared with other kinds of flour, strong flour has a notably higher content of protein, which is in the form of gluten ( 2 , 3 ). The amount of gluten in flour strongly influences the structure of the product.What does flour strength mean?
Flour "strength" indicates the strength of the dough and its resistance to leavening. Therefore the higher the W index (e.g. W=180) the longer the leavening time. As a result of the longer leavening time, it takes longer to make the final product.What does it mean when a recipe says strong flour?
Strong white bread flour is made from 'hard' wheat varieties which are high in gluten. This makes it ideal for bread-making where dough needs to expand and rise well in order to produce a light loaf. Strong flour is not suitable for cake recipes.What is the difference between strong flour and very strong flour?
Very strong white bread flour is made from a blend of premium wheat and has an even higher protein content and gluten strength than the strong white bread flour. This guarantees a fuller rise and when blended with other flours such as rye and wholemeal will help give a rounder loaf.No Knead Focaccia Bread - Tall, Soft, Easy!
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