Complete French Flour Guide: Understanding Every Type from T45 to T150

French flour is classified by a system that tells you something protein content alone cannot: how refined the flour is, how much mineral character it retains, and how it will behave during fermentation. Understanding the T-number system is the foundation of authentic French baking — and the key to choosing the right flour for croissants, baguettes, brioche, rye bread, or whole grain production.

The T-number system explained

The T stands for type and refers to the flour's ash content — the mineral residue left after incinerating 5g of flour at 900°C for 80 minutes, per French standard NF V03-720. Higher T = more of the wheat's outer layers retained = more minerals, more fermentation character, more complex flavor. Lower T = more refined, lighter color, more delicate texture.

Type	Ash content	Character	Primary applications
T45	~0.40–0.45%	Very fine, very refined, soft	Croissants, brioche, panettone, puff pastry, fine cakes, choux
T55	0.50–0.60%	Balanced, versatile	Viennoiserie, baguettes, enriched doughs, all-purpose bread
T65	0.62–0.75%	More mineral, more fermentation character	Baguette de tradition, levain, sourdough, artisan bread
T80	0.75–0.90%	Semi-whole, golden crumb	Country-style loaves, rustic pan bread, pain bis
T110	1.00–1.20%	Near-whole grain	Whole wheat blends, high-fiber bread
T130 (Rye)	~1.30%	Whole rye, dense and aromatic	Rye bread, sourdough starter, multigrain blends
T150	>1.50%	Full whole grain, dark, fiber-rich	Whole grain loaves, maximum fiber, specialty bread

The wheat behind Foricher flours

All Foricher flours are milled from 100% French soft wheat (blé tendre) grown in the Loiret and Yonne regions of France, with the exception of the T130 which uses French rye. Every flour carries CRC® certification (Contrôle Responsable de Céréales) — full traceability from wheat variety selection through farming, harvest, and milling to the bag. No additives, no enzymes, no GMOs.

Note on Label Rouge: Several Foricher flours hold Label Rouge certification in France — a government quality mark administered by INAO. However, Canadian Food and Drug Regulations require mandatory wheat flour enrichment (B1, B2, B3, B9, iron), which means Canadian-market versions cannot carry the Label Rouge designation. The wheat, milling process, and technical specs are identical — what you receive is vitaminée Foricher flour, compliant with Canadian law. CRC® certification remains valid.

The Foricher lines we carry

Bagatelle — traditional, additive-free, Label Rouge at origin

The Bagatelle line follows Tradition Française specifications: no additives, no ascorbic acid, milled for authentic flavor and crust character. Label Rouge certified at origin (2001). Available in three types:

• Bagatelle T45 — for croissants, brioche, panettone, viennoiserie. Low protein, excellent extensibility. 1 kg / 10 × 1 kg / 25 kg, from $12.50 CAD.
• Bagatelle T65 — for baguettes de tradition, levain, sourdough. W200, P/L 0.7, protein 11.3%, ash 0.62–0.75%. 1 kg / 10 × 1 kg / 25 kg, from $12.50 CAD.

Terroir — high-performance, CRC® certified, precision specs

The Terroir line is built for professional precision. Consistent tolerances, CRC® traceability, designed for production bakeries running the same formulas daily. Available in three types:

• Terroir T55 Pâtisserie — for fine pastry, croissants, enriched doughs. W330, P/L 0.6, protein 12.5%. High-strength T55 that handles lamination stress without tearing. 1 kg / 10 × 1 kg / 25 kg, from $12.50 CAD.
• Terroir Feuilletage T55 — for puff pastry and laminated doughs requiring high extensibility and clean layer separation. 25 kg, $175 CAD.
• Terroir T130 Rye — whole rye for rye bread, sourdough starters, and multigrain blends. CRC® certified French rye. 25 kg, $180 CAD.

Choosing the right flour by application

Application	Recommended flour	Why
Croissants, pain au chocolat	Terroir T55 or Bagatelle T45	Extensibility for lamination; T55 Terroir at W330 for high-volume, T45 for delicate layers
Puff pastry, mille-feuille	Terroir Feuilletage T55	Designed specifically for clean layer separation
Brioche, enriched doughs	Bagatelle T45	Low protein allows butter integration without toughness
Panettone, pandoro	Bagatelle T45	High-fat formulation needs extensible, low-protein structure
Baguette de tradition	Bagatelle T65	No additives, authentic crust and crumb character
Sourdough, levain loaves	Bagatelle T65	Higher ash supports fermentation activity and flavor development
Rustic country bread	T80 (ask us)	Semi-whole mineral character, golden crumb
Rye bread, sourdough starter	Terroir T130 Rye	Whole rye for dense, aromatic, authentic rye
Whole grain production	T150 (ask us)	Maximum fiber, full grain

Working with French flour in Canada: key adjustments

• Hydration: French soft wheat absorbs water differently than Canadian hard wheat. Start 5–10% lower than your standard hydration and adjust. T65 for baguettes typically works at 68–75%.
• Fermentation: The mineral content in T65 and T55 supports more active yeast. Bulk fermentation may run faster than with domestic flour — monitor dough temperature.
• Mixing: Do not over-mix. Short autolyse (20–30 min) then moderate development. French soft wheat gluten degrades faster under excessive mixing than high-protein Canadian wheat.
• Cold retard: Foricher flours reward long cold proofing (10–16 hours at 4–6°C). The absence of additives means the dough is more sensitive to over-proof — know your window.

Availability at Zucchero Canada

We carry the full Foricher Bagatelle and Terroir lines — stocked in Calgary and shipping across Canada. Available in 1 kg (recipe development and test batches), 10 × 1 kg, and 25 kg (production format). Priority allocation for bakeries and food service operations on standing orders.

Questions about which flour fits your program? Contact our team — we work with professional bakeries, hotel pastry programs, and culinary schools across Canada.

Bagatelle T45  |  Terroir T55  |  Terroir Feuilletage T55  |  Bagatelle T65  |  Terroir T130 Rye  |  Full collection