When a bag of flour is labelled "bread", it gives clear instructions for use. Bakers know very well that the flour inside has a specific character – a distinctive darker colour, an aroma which reveals the identity of the grain in question, and ground specifically to allow the creation of the perfect dough.

Back to the grind

Bread flour is a type of plain flour, ground from bread grains – cereals specifically intended for baking bread. Historically, rye was used across the Czech region, and later wheat was added to the mix. The properties of each grain vary, and so does the milling process – wheat is used to create a variety of flours, from plain to semolina, whilst rye is usually only plain.

Some millers produce bread flour from wheat or spelt, but rye remains in first place, thanks to its taste, aroma, baking properties and its indelible tradition. On their shelves you might also find rye flakes or semolina, which do not undergo fine grinding.

All hail fibre!

The identifying mark of bread flour is, among other things, a higher type number – the grain is milled more, so it retains a valuable proportion of fibre, protein and minerals. This is a huge plus for our (microbial) health! In the case of rye, unlike wheat, it’s more difficult to separate the enveloped layers of the endosperm (grain kernel), which is why rye bread flour is naturally darker than wheat flour, and simultaneously has nutritional value. 

For centuries, bread flour has been classified as a highly milled flour, which doesn’t lose its aleurone layer content. The aleurone layer is found under the husk of the grain, and is a source of valuable substances. Simply put – the less the grain is milled, the larger part of the aleurone layer ends up in the bran, which is then separated from the resulting flour.

Light luxury

The type number T500 characterises typical Czech ‘vejražka’ – a type of rye flour that comes from the centre of the grain, and therefore has not only a light colour, but also a very fine granulation. It is the physiology of the rye grain which makes this possible, due to its capability of disintegrating into powder-like flour.

This flour is specifically leavened, and for this reason is usually combined with other flours, including breadcrumbs. Today, bakers mix it into the dough for light bread – and in Eska in Karlín, inspired by the past, they also bake gingerbread cookies from it. The reward for working harder with the dough is suppleness, beautiful aroma and taste. Back in the day, vejražka was sometimes also used for "better" baking in cakes, especially in higher regions such as Vysočina, where for a long time – even until the Second World War – rye ruled over wheat.