High-Extraction Flour
What it is
A flour that sits deliberately between white and whole wheat — most of the bran removed but a meaningful portion (and the germ) retained. Often called "high-extraction," "85%," "T80/T110," or type 1/2 depending on country.
How it's made
Extraction rate is the percentage of the original grain that ends up in the flour: 100% extraction is whole wheat, ~72% is standard white. High-extraction flours are milled or sifted to roughly 80–90% extraction, keeping color, flavor, and nutrition while shedding the coarsest, most gluten-damaging bran.
Flavor profile
Noticeably more flavorful and golden than white flour, lighter and less bitter than full whole wheat — many bakers consider it the sweet spot for flavor and performance.
Culinary uses
Artisan and naturally-leavened breads where bakers want character and a workable dough. It rises better than whole wheat (less bran to cut gluten) while tasting far richer than white.
Regional variations
France's type system (T45 whitest → T150 wholemeal) and Italy's 0/1/2 are extraction grades; French T80 and T110 and Italian Type 1 are classic high-extraction flours prized by sourdough bakers.
Cultural & historical context
These graded flours preserve a pre-industrial reality: traditional stone mills and bolting cloths produced a range of extractions, not the binary "white or whole" that roller milling and Anglo-American marketing later imposed.
Reference notes
Tags: `wheat`, `contains-gluten`, `artisan`, `extraction-grade`. Related ingredients: [Whole Wheat Flour], [Bread Flour]. Related cuisines: French, Italian. Suggested links: → Extraction rate explained, → French flour types (T45–T150).