Converter
Flour Converter
The flour you have, matched to the style you want to bake.
WHAT FLOUR DO YOU HAVE?
About the Flour Converter
Recipes assume a flour you may not have. Protein content and gluten strength decide how much water a flour can hold and how long it survives fermentation, so swapping Tipo 00 for supermarket all-purpose is not a like-for-like exchange, the hydration has to move with it.
This converter pairs each flour with each style, rates the combination from ideal to not recommended, and returns a hydration delta plus mixing and fermentation notes. Where a pairing does not work, a weak flour in a 48-hour dough, for example, it says so instead of quietly suggesting it.
How it works
- Select the flour you actually have, with its protein range and gluten strength.
- Pick the pizza style you want to bake.
- Read the hydration adjustment against the style's base hydration.
- Apply the mixing and fermentation notes for that specific pairing.
Questions about flour choice
Can I use all-purpose flour for pizza?
Yes, for shorter fermentations and lower-hydration styles. All-purpose flour sits around 10–12% protein, so it holds less water and tires sooner than a strong bread flour. Reduce hydration slightly and keep the total fermentation short rather than pushing a 48-hour cold retard.
What is Tipo 00 flour and does it matter?
Tipo 00 describes the Italian milling grade, how finely the flour is ground, not its strength. What matters for pizza is the protein content printed alongside it. A 12.5% Tipo 00 behaves like a strong bread flour; a 9% one does not.
How much hydration should I add for wholemeal flour?
Wholemeal absorbs more water than white flour because of the bran, so it usually needs a few percentage points more hydration. The converter returns the adjustment for the specific flour and style you selected rather than a single blanket number.