Wheat Flour Sofiamel Extra 1kg

Higher-protein white flour from selected Bulgarian wheat — Sofia Mel Extra is GoodMills Bulgaria EOOD’s mid-tier flour, positioned above the everyday Type 500 for home bakers who want the gluten strength to execute richer, more demanding recipes: pogachi, zakuski, choux pastry, and celebration breads that need a flour that can hold an enriched dough together.

The three Sofiamel flours at Malincho represent a deliberate ladder. Type 500 (SP71) is the everyday all-purpose choice — reliable, neutral, moderate protein. The Banitsa flour (SP73) is the specialist tool: maximum protein, engineered tensibility and elasticity for thin-rolled phyllo. Sofia Mel Extra sits between them. It is milled from selected Bulgarian wheat with characteristically higher natural protein than the Type 500 blend, and its technical specification — ash content maximum 0.55%, wet gluten minimum 26% — puts it in the range that professional bakers use for enriched and luxury products. GoodMills Bulgaria calls it a “special flour” for richer and more complex recipes, and the applications they specify — pogachi, zakuski, and choux pastry — each require exactly that mid-tier gluten strength.

The slightly higher ash content (0.55% versus 0.50% for Type 500) means a marginally creamier color and a touch more flavor from the wheat itself — a quality traditional Bulgarian bakers specifically value in celebration breads where the crumb and crust color matter. It is still a white flour by any standard, and it can be used as a direct substitute for Type 500 in any recipe with a noticeable improvement in dough strength and final volume.

How to Use It

Use Sofia Mel Extra wherever your recipe calls for a strong or bread-grade flour: pogachi (Bulgarian ritual bread enriched with eggs, butter, and yogurt), zakuski (enriched pastry rolls), choux pastry (парено тесто — the scalded-dough technique that creates hollow pastry shells for sweet and savory fillings), and enriched white breads with extended fermentation. It is also excellent for kozunak — Bulgarian Easter sweet bread — where the high sugar and fat content requires stronger gluten than Type 500 to prevent collapse. As a substitute for US bread flour, Extra performs similarly, with a slightly lower protein level that produces a slightly more tender crumb.

What Makes It Special

Sofia Mel Extra is not a general-purpose flour with a premium label — it is produced from a specifically selected wheat blend with measurably higher protein and gluten strength, verified in GoodMills Bulgaria’s own quality laboratory on every production run. The company holds ISO 9001:2015 and IFS v6.1 certifications, and the flour is tested to the same standards as their professional product range. For diaspora Bulgarian bakers who remember that their grandmother’s pogachi had a different, richer character than anything they have been able to replicate with standard US all-purpose flour, the Extra grade is typically the explanation: the wheat was different, and now they can get that wheat again.

Quick Facts

✓  Type: White wheat flour, Extra grade (higher-protein, selected Bulgarian wheat)
✓  Technical spec: Ash content max 0.55%, wet gluten min 26%
✓  US equivalent: Between all-purpose and bread flour
✓  Net weight: 1kg
✓  Allergen: Contains gluten (wheat)
✓  Brand: SofiaMel Extra
✓  Manufacturer: GoodMills Bulgaria EOOD, Sofia
✓  Country of Manufacture: Bulgaria (imported)
✓  UPC: 3800019102408
✓  SKU: SP72

Bulgarian Serving Tip

Pogachi — Bulgarian ritual bread — is the dish that most clearly demonstrates the difference between Extra and ordinary white flour. Enrich the dough with eggs, butter, yogurt, and a little sunflower oil; the higher gluten strength of Extra allows the dough to absorb this enrichment without losing structure. Braid or shape the dough into a round loaf with a decorative top, let it proof generously, brush with egg wash, and bake at 180°C until the crust is a rich, burnished gold. The crumb should be fine, soft, and slightly sweet from the enriched dough — a result that standard Type 500 flour struggles to achieve in the same recipe. For kozunak (Bulgarian Easter sweet bread), the same principle applies: the more sugar and egg you add, the more you need the gluten strength of Extra to prevent the loaf from collapsing under its own weight during baking.

Pairs perfectly with: Sofiamel Type 500 Flour (SKU: SP71) — keep both for everyday and luxury baking; Sofiamel for Banitsa (SKU: SP73) — for when thin-rolled phyllo is the goal.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Sofiamel Extra (SP72) and Sofiamel Type 500 (SP71)?
Both are white wheat flours from GoodMills Bulgaria EOOD. Type 500 is the standard all-purpose grade — reliable, neutral protein, ash content max 0.50% — suited for everything from mekitsi to bread to sauces. Extra is produced from selected Bulgarian wheat with higher natural protein, ash content max 0.55%, and a confirmed minimum wet gluten of 26%. The higher protein means stronger gluten development — useful in enriched, structured doughs where the flour needs to support eggs, butter, and extended fermentation without losing shape.

What are pogachi and why do they need Extra flour?
Pogachi (погачи) are Bulgarian ritual celebration breads, traditionally made for name days, Easter, weddings, and housewarming celebrations. The dough is typically enriched with eggs, butter, yogurt, and sometimes cheese — far more fat and egg than a standard white bread. This enrichment weakens the gluten network unless the flour has sufficient protein to begin with. Extra’s higher protein provides the baseline strength that allows the dough to expand and hold during a long proof, producing the tall, well-structured loaf with a soft, fine crumb that pogachi require.

Can I use Extra flour instead of Type 500 in any recipe?
Yes — Extra can substitute for Type 500 cup-for-cup in any recipe, and it will generally produce a slightly stronger, better-structured result. For very delicate pastry or thin cookie doughs where too much gluten development is undesirable (short pastry, some biscuits), Type 500 may actually be preferable. For bread, enriched pastry, choux, and any dough where volume and structure matter, Extra is the better choice.

What is choux pastry (pareno testo) and why does it need stronger flour?
Choux pastry — known in Bulgarian as парено тесто (“scalded dough”) — is made by boiling water with butter, adding flour to form a paste, then beating in eggs until the dough is smooth and glossy. When baked, steam trapped inside the dough inflates it to form a hollow shell. The gluten network formed during the paste stage is what determines whether the shell holds its structure or collapses. Higher-protein flour forms a stronger network, producing a more reliably hollow, crisp choux than standard all-purpose flour.

Is a case discount available?
Yes — a 5% discount applies automatically when buying a case of 10 units. For wholesale, bakery, or restaurant orders, contact Malincho at 1-866-203-3525 or [email protected].