At a Glance
Wheat (Weizen) Type 550 is a common German bread flour that sits between all-purpose and strong bread flours. It offers good gluten strength for airy crumb while retaining some bran/mineral content compared with lower type numbers.
💡 The German 'type' number indicates mill ash (minerals) in mg per 100 g of flour; higher numbers mean more of the grain's outer layers and slightly stronger flavor and nutrition. Type 550 is widely used for rustic and sandwich breads in Germany and balances handling with structure [1].
🛒 Recommended Products
We recommend the following tools for this recipe:
Digital Kitchen Scale
Essential for accurate baker's percentages and hydration control
Dough Scraper/Bench Knife (OXO)
Helpful for folding, dividing and handling sticky high-hydration doughs
Dutch Oven or Cast Iron Pot (CRUSTLOVE)
Provides reliable steam and oven spring for home loaves
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Properties
| Type number | 550 |
| Extraction rate | ≈72-78% |
| Color | Creamy white |
| Flavor | Mild, slightly wheaty |
| Protein content | 10-12% |
| Water absorption | Moderate (60-68%) |
⚠️ Type 550 provides sufficient gluten-forming proteins for good oven spring in sourdough breads, but hydration and fermentation timing must match the flour’s absorption and enzyme activity [1][2].
Best Uses
✓ Ideal for:
- • Sourdough bâtards and boules
- • Village-style loaves with open crumb
- • Pan loaves and sandwich bread
- • Blends with whole grain flours (for texture and flavor)
✗ Not ideal for:
- • Very high-gluten requirements (for chewy bagels) → Use a higher-protein bread flour or add vital wheat gluten
- • Ultra-light cakes → Use pastry or cake flour
Mixing recommendations:
Behavior in Dough
Consistency
Typical wheat dough: extensible and elastic; adjust hydration to desired crumb
Development
Windowpane test possible when sufficiently developed; bulk fermentation time depends on starter strength and temperature
Fermentation
Responds well to both room-temperature and retarded (cool) bulk ferments; extended autolyse improves extensibility [1].
Sourdough required!
Type 550 benefits from sourdough fermentation but does not strictly require it. Sourdough improves flavor, shelf-life and dough tolerance during long fermentation [1][2].
Minimum: No strict minimum, but using a matured starter at 20-30% inoculation (baker's percentage of flour in levain) gives predictable results in most recipes.
Hydration
Recommended: 60-68% for standard loaves; increase for more open crumb
Adjust hydration by 2-4% if combining with whole grain flours or higher-protein bread flours; always weigh ingredients on a [Digital Kitchen Scale](https://amzn.to/4pUMVHi) for consistency.
Alternatives & Substitutes
Direct alternatives:
Lower protein, lighter crumb; reduce hydration ~3%
Darker, more flavor and bran; increase hydration 2-4%
Higher rise and chew, useful for enriched or high-hydration loaves
International equivalents:
| Country | Flour | Brands |
|---|---|---|
| USA | All-purpose or bread flour (bleached/unbleached) | King Arthur, Bob's Red Mill |
| UK | Strong white flour / bread flour | Doves Farm, Shipton Mill |
| France | T55 |
Where to Buy
🛒 Supermarket
- Major European supermarkets
- Specialty baking shops
🌿 Organic
- Local organic mills
- Natural food co-ops
🌾 Mills Online
💡 Buy smaller quantities from a reliable mill if you want consistent performance; fresher flour gives stronger gluten development [1][2].
Storage
Shelf life
6-12 months sealed in cool conditions; opened 3-6 months for best performance
Storage location
Cool, dry, dark; store airtight in a container such as a [Glass Jar for Starter](https://amzn.to/4pWAN8D) or a food-grade tub
⚠️ Keep away from heat and sunlight. For long-term storage, refrigerate or freeze in airtight packaging and bring to room temperature before use [1].
Recipes with this flour
Recipes using Wheat Type 550 on this site: