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Pastry Flour …please help
Hi. I am not a professional baker and I like to bake at home. I am following the Croissants and Viennoiserie course by Antonio Bachour with good results. However, I live in Fort Myers, FL and I am not able to buy the suggested flour to use which is the Rouge Viennoiserie Flour T45 12.1% protein. Even online it is a challenge and a cost to buy this flour since I have found a store that can ship the flour but it is located in California. It will be less expensive for to go to Miami and to buy the croissants already baked at Antonio’s store in Miami :-).
Can anyone suggest a good pastry flour to use for croissant that is available in a common store here in Florida that has a 0.4 / 0.7 PL for elasticity ? Thank you!
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3 Replies
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I think they need to arrange courses and ingredients which users can get easily
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Scoolinary Team
Hi Mohammad.
We understand your concern. Chef Antonio Bachour specifies the type or brand of flour he uses in his recipes, but the recipe book also provides the percentage and necessary characteristics of the flour, allowing students to find equivalent options based on their location.
We recognize that our students are from different parts of the world and that it’s not always possible to find the same ingredients everywhere. That’s why this space is designed to offer support and suggestions tailored to each country or region, helping everyone achieve the best results with the ingredients available to them.
We appreciate your feedback and continue working to enhance the learning experience for our community.
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Scoolinary Team
Hi Orazio.
Welcome to the Scoolinary community!
It’s great that you’re taking Antonio Bachour’s course! If you’re making croissants in Florida without access to Rouge Viennoiserie flour, you can look for accessible alternatives with similar characteristics.
PL (the ratio of tenacity to extensibility) is not always mentioned on commercial flours in the U.S., as it is a more common parameter in French or Italian flours. However, based on strength (W) and protein content, here’s an estimated breakdown of how some popular U.S. flours perform:
1. King Arthur All-Purpose Flour (11.7% protein) → Estimated PL: ~0.5-0.7
This flour has good extensibility and elasticity, making it a decent choice for viennoiserie.
2. Gold Medal Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (10-11% protein) → Estimated PL: ~0.4-0.6
More extensible than strong, but manageable for laminated dough with good technique.
3. King Arthur Bread Flour (12.7% protein) → Estimated PL: ~0.7-1.0
Stronger flour, which may make the dough less extensible. If using it, I’d recommend mixing it with a softer flour (like pastry flour) to adjust the PL.
4. Bob’s Red Mill Pastry Flour (~8-9% protein) → Estimated PL: ~0.3-0.5
Very extensible but low in strength, which may result in a weaker croissant structure. It can be mixed with bread flour to balance it out.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a PL close to 0.4-0.7, King Arthur All-Purpose and Gold Medal Unbleached All-Purpose are the best options available in Florida supermarkets. For more precision, you could mix one of these with bread or pastry flour depending on how the dough feels.
If you have access to specialty stores or bakeries that sell bulk flour, you could ask if they carry T45 or T55 bakery flour. In Miami, you might check out La Provence Bakery or other stores specializing in French pastry ingredients.I hope this information helps.Best regards!
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