T45 vs T65 Flour: Which French Flour for Croissants, Baguettes, and Viennoiserie

Not all flours are created equal — especially in France. For Canadian bakers and pastry chefs working with authentic French baking, understanding the difference between T45 and T65 is essential. These two flours define how your croissants, brioches, or baguettes will perform — and why substituting with Canadian all-purpose will never quite replicate the result.

What the T-number actually means

French flour is classified by ash content — the mineral residue left after incinerating 5g of flour at 900°C for 80 minutes (standard NF V03-720). The T-number reflects grams of ash per kilogram of flour. Lower T = more refined, less bran, lighter texture. Higher T = more mineral content retained, more fermentation character, more structure.

Type	Ash content	Protein range	Primary applications
T45	~0.40–0.45%	8–9%	Croissants, brioche, viennoiserie, panettone, puff pastry
T55	0.50–0.60%	10–12%	All-purpose bread, croissants, enriched doughs
T65	0.62–0.75%	11–12%	Baguettes, levain, artisan bread, sourdough
T80	0.75–0.90%	11–13%	Rustic loaves, semi-whole grain
T130	1.20–1.50%	12–14%	Whole wheat blends, high-fiber breads
T150	>1.50%	13–14%	Whole grain, bran-heavy formulations

The wheat behind both flours

Both Foricher Bagatelle T45 and T65 are milled from 100% French soft wheat (blé tendre) grown in the Loiret and Yonne regions. The wheat is CRC® certified (Contrôle Responsable de Céréales) — full traceability from field to mill, environmentally responsible farming practices, variety-specific selection. No enzymes, no additives, no GMOs.

Note on Label Rouge in Canada: Foricher Bagatelle T65 holds Label Rouge certification in France — a French government quality mark administered by INAO, obtained in 2001, one of the first bread flours to receive it. However, Canadian food regulations require all wheat flour sold in Canada to be enriched with thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), folic acid (B9), and iron. This mandatory vitaminization means the Canadian-market version cannot carry the Label Rouge designation, which certifies the flour as it leaves the mill without modification. The wheat, milling process, and technical specs are identical — what you receive is Bagatelle T65 vitaminée, compliant with Canadian law.

T45 in practice: viennoiserie and laminated dough

T45 is the specialist flour for laminated doughs and enriched pastry. Its low ash content (0.40–0.45%) and lower protein (8–9%) give it exceptional extensibility — the dough relaxes and stretches without springing back, which is exactly what you need when sheeting croissant dough through multiple folds without tearing.

For brioche and panettone, T45's fine particle size integrates butter evenly and supports the high-fat, high-egg formulations that would tighten up in a higher-protein flour. The result is a more open, airy crumb with a pale, delicate color.

Foricher Bagatelle T45 specs (verified): Protein ~8.5%, CRC® certified, Label Rouge (France), enzyme-free, GMO-free. Available in 1 kg, 10 × 1 kg, and 25 kg formats.

View Foricher Bagatelle T45 → from $12.50 CAD

T65 in practice: baguettes and artisan bread

T65 is the standard bread flour in France — the classification used for baguette de tradition, pain de campagne, levain loaves, and most artisan bread production. Its higher ash content (0.62–0.75%) supports longer fermentation, better crust development, and a more complex crumb flavor than T45 or T55.

The absence of additives and ascorbic acid in Bagatelle T65 means the dough behaves authentically — more sensitive to over-fermentation than commercial additive-enhanced flours, but more rewarding when handled correctly. Long cold retard (10–16 hours at 4–6°C) works well and develops the flavor that distinguishes a proper baguette tradition from a generic bread-flour loaf.

Foricher Bagatelle T65 specs (verified): Protein 11.3%, W200, P/L 0.7 ± 0.2, ash 0.62–0.75%, CRC® certified, enzyme-free, additive-free, GMO-free. Available in 1 kg, 10 × 1 kg, and 25 kg formats.

View Foricher Bagatelle T65 → from $12.50 CAD

Side-by-side comparison

Property	T45 Bagatelle	T65 Bagatelle
Ash content	~0.40–0.45%	0.62–0.75%
Protein	~8.5%	~11.3%
Alveograph W	n/d	W200
P/L ratio	n/d	0.7 ± 0.2
Additives	None	None
CRC® certified	Yes	Yes
Label Rouge (France)	Yes	Yes (not valid in Canada)
Best for	Croissants, brioche, panettone, viennoiserie	Baguettes, levain, artisan bread, sourdough
Hydration range	55–65% typical	68–75% typical

Which to choose: the practical guide

Product	Flour	Why
Croissants, pain au chocolat	T45 Bagatelle	Extensibility for lamination, fine crumb
Brioche, enriched doughs	T45 Bagatelle	Fine particle size integrates butter evenly
Panettone, pandoro	T45 Bagatelle	High-fat formulation needs low-protein extensibility
Baguette de tradition	T65 Bagatelle	Authentic flavor, crust character, open crumb
Pain de campagne, levain	T65 Bagatelle	Structure for long fermentation
Sourdough	T65 Bagatelle	Higher ash supports fermentation activity
Hybrid (milk bread, sandwich)	Blend T45 + T65	Balance softness and structure

Availability at Zucchero Canada

We carry the full Foricher Bagatelle line — T45, T55, and T65 — stocked in Calgary and shipping across Canada. Available in 1 kg (for recipe development and test batches), 10 × 1 kg, and 25 kg (production format). Priority allocation for bakeries and food service operations running standing orders.

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

Bagatelle T45 →  |  Bagatelle T65 →  |  Full Foricher collection →