What are the ingredients in artisan bread flour?

January 1, 2026 •

2 min read

While many bakers assume artisan bread flour is a simple ingredient, it is often a carefully crafted blend of specific components designed for superior results. So, what are the ingredients in artisan bread flour, and why does this specialized flour produce such incredible loaves with an open crumb and rustic crust?

Quick Summary

Artisan bread flour is primarily composed of high-protein hard red wheat, which forms a strong gluten structure. This blend may also contain vital wheat gluten, enzymes, and higher ash content to produce a chewy, flavorful loaf.

Key Points

High Protein Hard Wheat: The primary ingredient in artisan bread flour is hard red spring or hard red winter wheat, specifically chosen for its high protein content to build a strong gluten network.
Crucial Gluten Development: When combined with water, the high protein forms an elastic gluten network that traps gas bubbles during fermentation, producing the bread's rise and chewy texture.
Vital Wheat Gluten as Reinforcement: Some commercial artisan flours contain added vital wheat gluten, a concentrated protein powder, to increase elasticity and absorbency, especially for high-hydration doughs.
Enzymes for Flavor: Enzymes, such as amylase, break down starches into sugars during fermentation, contributing to the bread's flavor profile and providing food for the yeast.
Ash Content for Rustic Character: Artisan flours often have a higher ash content (more bran and germ), which imparts a more complex, earthy flavor and a rustic, off-white hue.
Unbleached for Purity: Authentic artisan bread flour is typically unbleached and naturally aged, avoiding the chemicals found in some conventional flours to preserve a cleaner, more natural flavor.

The Core: High-Protein Hard Wheat

Artisan bread flour is a high-protein wheat flour, distinguishing it from general-purpose options. It is typically milled from hard red spring and hard red winter wheat, which have naturally high protein content, often ranging from 10.5% to 12.5%. This elevated protein content is crucial as it directly impacts gluten formation.

The Science of Gluten

Mixing hard wheat flour with water causes the proteins glutenin and gliadin to form gluten. This protein network provides dough with elasticity and strength, which is essential for artisan bread:

Gluten traps carbon dioxide gas produced by yeast during fermentation, allowing the dough to rise significantly.
The gluten matrix creates the signature chewy texture of artisan breads.
A strong gluten network helps the dough hold larger air pockets, resulting in the open, airy crumb characteristic of loaves like baguettes.

Reinforcing the Structure: Vital Wheat Gluten

Many commercial artisan bread flours contain added vital wheat gluten, which is isolated wheat protein. Adding this boosts the flour's protein content and gluten potential. This strengthens the dough, making it suitable for high-hydration artisan recipes. Vital wheat gluten absorbs water and contributes to a better crumb and chewier texture.

The Flavor and Color Agents: Enzymes and Ash

Artisan bread flour's flavor and color are influenced by enzymes and ash content.

Enzymes (Amylase): These enzymes break down starches into sugars during fermentation, feeding the yeast and developing the bread's flavor profile. Diastatic malt may be added if enzyme activity is low.
Ash Content: This measures the mineral content remaining after milling, indicating the presence of wheat bran and germ. Higher ash content in artisan flour imparts a more complex, earthy flavor and a rustic, off-white appearance.

Unbleached and Unadulterated: Purity Matters

Artisan bread flour is typically unbleached, avoiding chemical treatments like benzoyl peroxide or chlorine gas. Natural aging strengthens the flour and offers a cleaner taste profile preferred by artisan bakers. Some avoid additives like potassium bromate, a chemical aging agent.

All-Purpose vs. Bread Flour vs. Artisan Flour

Understanding flour differences helps home bakers.


Feature	All-Purpose Flour	Bread Flour	Artisan Bread Flour
Protein Content	9-12% (Medium)	12-14% (High)	10.5-12.5% (High)
Wheat Type	Blend of hard and soft wheat	Hard wheat varieties	Hard red spring and winter wheat
Best For	General baking, cookies, cakes	Yeasted breads, pizza dough	Rustic loaves, baguettes, chewy crumb
Texture	Softer, less chewy	Chewy, strong structure	Chewy, open, airy crumb
Additives	Often enriched and bleached	May be enriched	Typically unbleached, naturally aged

Conclusion

The quality of artisan bread flour stems from its specific ingredients. High-protein hard red wheat provides the necessary gluten structure for elasticity, gas retention, and chewy texture. Additives like vital wheat gluten, along with natural enzymes and higher ash content, further enhance structure and flavor. Understanding these components allows bakers to appreciate the process behind creating exceptional artisan loaves. For more on flour composition, resources like the BAKERpedia article on Vital Wheat Gluten offer further details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Artisan bread flour is typically milled from high-protein varieties of hard red wheat, such as hard red spring and hard red winter wheat.

Vital wheat gluten is added to boost the flour's protein content, which strengthens the gluten network. This creates a chewier crumb and helps the dough hold shape, especially in high-hydration recipes.

While both are high in protein, artisan bread flour is often a specialty blend with a specific protein range and sometimes a higher ash content, contributing to a more rustic texture and complex flavor than standard bread flour.

Higher ash content, which indicates more of the outer wheat kernel is included, contributes to a more pronounced, earthy flavor and a rustic, off-white color in the finished bread.

No, artisan bread flour is almost always unbleached. The flour is naturally aged over time, a method preferred by artisan bakers, rather than treated with chemical bleaching agents.

You can use all-purpose flour, but due to its lower protein content, the resulting bread will have a less open crumb and a softer chew than bread made with a higher-protein artisan flour.

Enzymes, such as amylase, break down starches into sugars that feed the yeast during fermentation, enhancing the bread's flavor and promoting a better rise.