Flours — Czech Market Guide¶
Czech and Italian flour classification systems explained, with a practical buying guide for Pardubice (Albert, Kaufland, Lidl, Billa, Tesco). Cross-referenced with knowledge/dough.md for application guidance.
The T-Number System (Czech)¶
The T-number (typové číslo) indicates the popel (ash) content — the mineral residue left after burning 100g of flour. Formula: grams of ash × 1000 = T-number. So T530 means 0.53g ash per 100g.
More ash = more bran and outer grain layers retained = darker flour = more fiber and minerals.
Critical limitation: T-numbers measure ash, NOT protein. Two bags both labeled "hladká T530" from different mills can vary from ~10% to ~12% protein. This matters enormously for bread — see "Reading the Label" below.
Wheat (Pšeničná) Flour Types¶
| T-number | Czech name | Ash max | Wet gluten min | Grind | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T400 | Polohrubá výběrová | 0.45% | 24% | Semi-coarse | Bábovky, třené těsto, dumpling doughs |
| T450 | Hrubá | 0.42% | 27% | Coarse | Knedlíky, halušky, domácí nudle do polévky |
| T480 | Krupička / krupice | 0.50% | — | Granular | Halušky; rough semolina substitute |
| T512 | Pekařská speciál | — | — | Fine | Pizza, baguettes; closest Czech flour to Italian 00 for baking |
| T530 | Hladká světlá | 0.53% | 32% | Fine | Default Czech "hladká" — pastries, koláče, sauces, béchamel, white pečivo. Protein typically 10.5–12% depending on mill. |
| T550 | Polohrubá světlá | 0.55% | — | Semi-coarse | Koláče, buchty |
| T650 | Hladká polosvětlá | 0.65% | — | Fine | Rohlíky, chleba, pizza with more character. Slightly more minerals and color than T530. |
| T1000 / T1050 | Pšeničná chlebová | ≤1.15% | 27% | Fine | Kváskový chléb, hutnější pečivo; higher moisture retention, bread stays fresh longer |
| T1800 | Celozrnná hrubá | — | — | Coarse/fine | Hearty whole-wheat breads |
Sources: Babiččina volba, Jan Vavříček, Upeč si chleba
Rye (Žitná) Flour Types¶
| T-number | Name | Use |
|---|---|---|
| T930 / T960 | Žitná chlebová | Sourdough blend — classic combo: 80% T1050 wheat + 20% T930 rye. Holds moisture, complex flavor. |
| T1700 / T1850 | Žitná celozrnná | Best for feeding sourdough starter — high enzyme activity and wild yeast food. Whole rye flour. |
Spelt (Špaldová) Flour Types¶
| T-number | Name | Use |
|---|---|---|
| T630 | Špaldová hladká | Sweet and savory baking, mild nutty flavor; more extensible but weaker gluten than wheat |
| T700 | Špaldová hladká | Similar; slightly darker |
Spelt gluten is more fragile — don't over-knead and don't cold-retard as long. Absorbs water more slowly than wheat; let it rest before judging hydration.
Reading the Label — Složení and Nutriční hodnoty¶
Because T-numbers only regulate ash, the nutriční hodnoty (nutritional info) on the back is the real buying signal for bread baking. Find the Bílkoviny (protein) row:
| Bílkoviny per 100g | What it means | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| 9–10 g | Low protein. Soft, weak gluten. | Sušenky, koláče, béchamel, palačinky. Bad for bread. |
| 10.5–11.5 g | Standard / mid-range. Most Czech "hladká T530" falls here. | All-purpose — decent bread if you fold well, good pastry. |
| 12–13 g | Strong. Good gluten network. | Bread, sourdough, pizza, slap-and-fold doughs, long fermentations. Usually T650+ or labeled "chlebová" / "pekařská". |
| 13–15+ g | Very strong. Manitoba-type or Italian "00 per pizza". | Professional pizza, baguettes, brioche needing exceptional structure. Rare in standard Czech supermarkets — check bio/specialty shelves or order online. |
Quick check at the shelf: flip the bag, look for Bílkoviny. If it's printed per 100g as sold (not per serving), you can compare directly. T530 from Mlýn X might read 11.2g; the same T530 from Mlýn Y reads 12.1g. Buy the higher one for bread.
Wet gluten (mokrý lepek) — some mill bags (especially from specialist mills like Herber, Natural Jihlava, Pekárkův mlýn) include this on the label. Wet gluten ≥30% is a reliable bread-baking signal. The T530 standard requires min 32% wet gluten, but supermarket flour often doesn't reach it — check.
Czech vs Italian Equivalence¶
Italian flour is classified by ash content (tipo) AND by W-value (síla těsta / dough strength) based on protein quality. Czech T-numbers map only the first dimension. W-values cannot be derived from T-numbers — they require testing.
| Italian | Ash | Czech approximate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00 Tenera (cake) | <0.55% | Hladká T530 | Low protein ~10%, soft texture |
| 00 per pizza | <0.55% | T512 pekařská or high-protein T650 | Must check protein ≥12%, W250–310 |
| 0 | <0.65% | T650 polosvětlá | Overlaps with some hladká |
| 1 | <0.80% | T1050 chlebová (roughly) | More whole-grain character |
| 2 / integrale | higher | T1800 celozrnná | Whole grain |
"It is not possible to establish a direct conversion between T and W" because Czech T-numbers measure ash content while Italian W-values measure dough strength (extensibility × resistance). One Czech flour can fall into tipo 0 or tipo 1 depending on its ash, but its W might still be too weak for Neapolitan pizza. Del Buono
For pizza Neapolitana in Czech conditions: look for "pekařská speciál T512" OR any hladká with bílkoviny ≥12g/100g. The Italian import "Manitoba 00" (protein ~14%) is occasionally stocked in larger Albert or online at upecsichleba.cz.
Application Quick-Reference¶
| Application | Recommended Czech flour | Protein target |
|---|---|---|
| Pizza, thin crust, baguette | T512 pekařská / T650 high-protein | ≥12% |
| Everyday white bread | T530 high-protein or T650 | ≥11% |
| Sourdough / kváskový chléb | T1050 + T930 žitná blend | n/a — use type |
| Knedlíky | Hrubá T450 | n/a — use type |
| Koláče, buchty | T530 standard | ~11% fine |
| Sušenky, linecké | T530 low-protein | ~10% fine |
| Béchamel, sauces | T530 any | doesn't matter |
| Starter feeding | Žitná celozrnná T1700/T1850 | n/a |
| Spelt baking | Špaldová T630 | Check extensibility; rest dough before kneading |
| Semolina substitute (pasta, halušky) | Krupička T480 | n/a |
Brands and Mills to Know¶
Standard supermarket ranges (Albert, Kaufland, Lidl, Billa): - Own-brand "hladká mouka" is almost always T530 ~11g protein — adequate for pastry, marginal for bread - Look for "pekařská" or "chlebová" labels to find stronger flour on the same shelf
Specialist mills available online or in larger bio shops: - Herber (Hanušovice) — consistent protein labeling, quality T650 and T1050 - Natural Jihlava — bio, spelled out W-equivalents on some products - Pekárkův mlýn — lists wet gluten on label - Upeč si chleba (upecsichleba.cz) — specialist shop, imports including Manitoba 00
Note: this section needs local verification — add your own findings from Pardubice shops as you encounter them.
Water Quality Note¶
Kenji's water experiment: mineral content (TDS) affects gluten — calcium and magnesium strengthen protein bonds, so hard water makes tougher, chewier dough [Kenji L268]. Pardubice tap water is moderately hard (check local report from Vodovody a kanalizace Pardubice). For most bread baking, tap water is fine. For very delicate doughs or replicating a specific result, filtered water removes variability.
Sources¶
Books: - The Food Lab — J. Kenji López-Alt: water minerality and gluten [Kenji L268, L352] - The Science of Good Cooking — ATK: hydration and crumb structure [ATK L22565]
Web (Czech flour classification): - Babiččina volba — Druhy a typy pšeničných mouk — ash and wet gluten minimums by type - Jan Vavříček — Mouka: typová čísla — full T-number range - Upeč si chleba — Jak vybrat mouku — application guide, mill brands - Del Buono — Rozdíly české a italské mouky — T vs W conversion impossibility, ash comparison - Mlsáníčko — Vyznáte se v mouce? - Vaření.cz — Označení mouky