You might have heard people, at some point, stating that baking is a sort of science. And it’s true. The main reason behind that is that your ingredients and how they are used will determine how good or bad your results will be.
Getting your recipe right starts with the ingredients you intend to use and even that can be a challenge. If you do not believe it, consider the number of flour types there are in the market. You have to choose between a wide range and you might have seen 00 flour among the choices.
Do you know what 00 flour is? Why is it necessary? If you do not have it at your disposal, is there a chance that there is a 00 flour substitute that you can use?
This post helps you understand what double zero flour is and if there are substitutes that you can use in place of it. Let’s get started.
00 Flour Overview
Before we get into the substitutes for 00 flour, let’s start by understanding what exactly it is and what it does.
In simple terms, this is the best type of flour for Italian cuisine. It is especially great for homemade pasta as well as thin-crust pizza. The reason why it is highly recommended for such delicacies is the amazing texture. It is said that the 00 reference has to do with how fine it is. It just might be the finest type of flour you will get.
To give you a mental picture, 00 flour is ground to become as fine as baby powder. American flour is grouped according to the protein content or gluten content. However, European flour is classified according to how fine it is.
Substitutes for 00 Flour
What would happen if you do not have some 00 flour at your disposal? It is quite simple. All you would have to do is find a type of flour that would give you similar results, or at least close. Let us consider some possible replacements.
What to use instead of 00 Flour
If you are working on a cake recipe, you can use plain flour as a substitute for 00 flour. If you are working on pizza or bread, you can choose to go with white bread flour. In most cases, it has lower protein levels compared to the British flour types. Therefore, the texture in cakes is finer and the crust on bread is crisper.
What can I use instead of 00 flour? Well, 00 flour found in Italy has the same level of protein as pastry flour found in the US. Therefore, Pastry flour can be a great substitute.
Type 00 Flour and Plain Flour
You should know that 00 flour is Italian milled perfectly to make pasta. It is very similar to plain or all-purpose flour. Plain flour is a combination of soft and hard wheat. Even though it is finer, it will create a dough that is silky and will maintain a chewy texture on the pasta cooked.
Can you substitute all-purpose flour for 00 flour? You can. Most of the recipes that require type 00 flour will request that you use all-purpose flour as a replacement. Even though there will be no problem with replacing these two, you might notice that the texture might be a bit chewier.
Bread Flour and 00 Flour
Can bread flour act as a double zero flour substitute? Bread flour is known to have high levels of gluten. The level of gluten can be as high as 14 percent. Caputo 00 flour, however, is lower with about 12 percent of gluten. Therefore, it would be perfect because it would give you a chewy crust that will not come across as rubbery.
00 Flour Replacement for Pizza
When you are making, you can have a type 00 flour substitute be plain flour. When you combine 00 flour and bread flour, you get a crispy, chewy crust. It is perfectly okay to substitute the plain flour with 00 flour.
Why is Type 00 Flour Preferred for Pizza?
By now, you might have known that type 00 flour is best for pizza dough. But do you know why it is so?
Well, the fact is that it all depends on the gluten information. The gluten will determine how chewy the crust will end up. We have all had that one piece of pizza that makes you feel like your jaw will hurt. It is completely useless.
Most people will normally choose to use bread flour when they are making pizza. Some will even choose the all-purpose flour but it will only form a dough that can be easily torn.
The reason why bread flour does not work is that it has higher levels of gluten. The final product will have a crisp on the outside. Since the level of gluten is high, it will be a bit springy.
If you try to stretch it, it might spring back easily, which will mess with your peace. As noted above, the level of gluten in this flour is around 14 percent.
The 00 flour, however, will have around 12 percent. In regards to making a chewy crust, this is the perfect level of gluten you would require. It will make a chewy crust that will not cross to being rubbery. The bubbles and puffs that are created with this dough are perfect.
Remember…
The hydration level is very crucial when you are working with flour. If you tend to use a little amount of water, your crust will be dense and dry. If you have too much water, the dough you make will be very sticky and it will be very hard to work with it.
If you decide to make adjustments to the flour you are using when baking, we recommend that you make adjustments to the water you are using. Increase or reduce accordingly.
00 Flour vs Bread Flour vs All-Purpose Flour
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Difference between 00 flour and semolina flour
Both 00 flour and semolina flour are made from durum wheat, hard wheat with high protein content. The difference between the two flours lies in how the wheat is milled. To make 00 flour, the wheat berries are milled extremely fine, resulting in soft, powdery flour.
Semolina flour, on the other hand, is made from the coarser endosperm of the wheat berry. As a result, it has a more granular texture and is better suited for making pasta and bread. However, both flours can be used interchangeably in most recipes. So if you can’t find semolina flour at your local grocery store, 00 flour makes an excellent substitute.
Difference between 0 and 00 flour
In the United States, flour is typically classified by how much of the grain is removed during milling. Whole wheat flour, for example, contains all parts of the grain, while white flour has had the bran and germ removed. 0 and 00 flours are at the other end of the spectrum, with most of the grain removed. As a result, they are very fine-textured and have a relatively short shelf life.
While 0 and 00 flours are both quite refined, there is actually a small difference between them. 0 flour is milled from the innermost part of the wheat berry, while 00 flour comes from the outermost layer. As a result, 00 flour is slightly higher in protein and fiber than 0 flour.
It also has a more robust flavor, making it well-suited for baked goods like bread and pizza crust. Whether you use 0 or 00 flour will ultimately depend on your preferences and what you’re planning to bake.
Is 00 flour easier to digest?
Because 00 flour is so fine, it might be assumed that it would be easier for the body to digest. However, there is no scientific evidence to support this claim. In fact, the main difference between 00 flour and other types of flour is its texture, not its nutritional value or digestibility. As a result, 00 flour is not necessarily easier to digest than other types of flour.
What can I make with 00 flour?
The flour is made from durum wheat, which gives it a high protein content and makes it very strong. This makes 00 flour ideal for using in recipes where you need a lot of gluten development, such as pizza dough, pasta, or bread recipes that call for high-gluten bread flour.
It also has a very fine texture, which makes it perfect for making delicate pastries such as Spinach Ravioli.
While 00 flour can be used for many different things, it is particularly well-suited for making pasta and pizza dough. So if you’re looking to make either of those foods, be sure to pick up some 00 flour the next time you’re at the store.
Conclusion
We do not always have the ingredients we need when we need them. But that should not be a problem. Several 00 flour substitutes would work perfectly to give you the results you require for your bread, cake, or pizza. Make sure that you make the necessary adjustments when you are working with a substitute for 00 flour.
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