I often get questions about my pizza dough video/ recipe, so I am sharing my answers here. Please keep in mind that to be a successful baker, experimentation is often necessary. Your ingredients and baking equipment may be quite different from mine. The good thing is that it's not too expensive to make pizza and usually the results of your experimentation will be edible. Have fun - don't be afraid to go your own way and change my recipe to suit your needs. It is good, however, to have an understanding of the ingredients, their function and the methods for yeast dough preparation. Happy Baking!
Can I use all purpose flour instead of bread flour?
Bread flour has a higher protein content compared to all purpose flour. When combined with water, this protein forms gluten in the dough. The gluten formation is enhanced by kneading. This enables the dough to stretch better and gives the pizza a chewier crust. I prefer King Arthur bread flour which is high in good quality protein and is not bromated or bleached. If you prefer to use all purpose flour, less liquid is usually needed. For my pizza dough recipe, try 1 cup + 2 tablespoons water, instead of 1 1/4 cups water. If the dough feels dry, add a little more water at a time. If it feels too wet, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. I my opinion, a good quality flour is worth paying extra for.
Why doesn't my yeast get foamy or dough rise like yours does?
1. Your yeast may not fresh enough. This can be hard to tell as I have purchased yeast that supposedly fresh, but was not. Try buying yeast from a different supplier, hopefully one with a high turnover.
2. Another problem with yeast growth can be temperature. Yeast likes warmth just like us. In a cool place, the dough will take a long time to rise. If the water is too hot, it will kill your yeast. Don't use water above 110F (43 Celsius) to be safe.
3. Water quality can be an issue as well. Your water may have a high chlorine content or contain other elements that inhibit yeast growth. I often use spring water when making yeast doughs. I have also had luck boiling tap water to remove chlorine. Just be sure to let it cool to a warm temperature, before using it, as not to kill the yeast.
4. Note: Too much yeast will ruin your dough, even it it does make your dough rise quickly. I strongly advice against excess yeast. It gives an off taste and dry texture to yeast baked products.
- I have a video and blog article, No Pizza Stone? No Problem! that goes into depth on this subject. One solution is to use an aluminum sheet pan, preheated in the oven, instead of a stone. You can see this being done at the end of my pizza sauce video.
- Another method is to preheat your oven to 400ºF. Place the stretched out dough on a oiled (I prefer extra virgin olive oil) baking sheet. Place the toppings on the dough. Bake immediately or cover loosely and let the dough rise a bit more for a lighter pizza (uncover before baking). Baking time may vary, due to the thickness of dough. It usually takes about 20-25 minutes. The bottom should be evenly browned when done (check carefully, because the pizza will be very hot).
What is the weight of the finished dough?
This recipe yields approximately 2 pounds and 7 ounces of raw pizza dough.
My recipe, calling for 1 ½ lbs of bread flour, will make three, 12 inch, thin crusted pizzas or two thicker ones (or several mini-pizzas).
Can the recipe be divided in half?
Yes, but I would make the whole recipe and either freeze or refrigerate the leftover pizza(s). I love leftovers! You could also make one pizza and refrigerate the extra dough (see below).
Can I freeze the dough?
At which point during the dough making process would it be best to freeze or refrigerate?
My dough looks dry.
The amount of water needed can vary depending on humidity, hardness of flour, etc. Next time, if the dough seems too dry as you begin to mix it, add a little extra water (1 tablespoon at a time). Try not to add too much, as the dough may become wet and sticky.
The dough tears when I try to stretch it.
The dough may be too dry and/or it has not been rested sufficiently. It is important to round the dough (as in the video) and allow it to rise before trying to stretch it out. When yeast dough has been shaped and/or manipulated, the gluten gets activated and tightens. The dough needs a good rest before it can be stretched out.
My dough seems to sticky.
If the dough seems too sticky, try to add extra flour at the beginning of the kneading process. Flour added late in the game will not get sufficient kneaded .
This recipe yields approximately 2 pounds and 7 ounces of raw pizza dough.
My recipe, calling for 1 ½ lbs of bread flour, will make three, 12 inch, thin crusted pizzas or two thicker ones (or several mini-pizzas).
Can the recipe be divided in half?
Yes, but I would make the whole recipe and either freeze or refrigerate the leftover pizza(s). I love leftovers! You could also make one pizza and refrigerate the extra dough (see below).
Can I freeze the dough?
- You can freeze the dough, but the yeast doesn't survive the deep freeze too well. Don't expect the dough to rise much or at all after coming out of the freezer. The dough will be slack, but it's usable. Below is a suggestion for freezing the entire pizza.
- I prefer instead, to either refrigerate the extra dough for up to two to three* days or (this is what I usually do) cook all of the pizzas while the oven is still hot and refrigerate or freeze whatever is left over. Pizzas reheat well and you get a day of not having to cook or mess up the kitchen!
- If my recipe makes too much dough for your use, you certainly may divide the recipe in half. You can also make other baked goods out of this dough, but that's for another blog article...
At which point during the dough making process would it be best to freeze or refrigerate?
- You can refrigerate the dough after almost any step, but after the first rise (or a little before) works best. Store it, covered, in the refrigerator for 1-3* days. Allow room for the dough to expand as it will continue to rise. The pizza dough will actually be more flavorful after a day in the fridge, but the dough will begin to deteriorate after the yeast have eaten all the good food available.
- After taking the dough out of the refrigerator, reshape and let rise again, covered, in a warm place. This may take awhile, because of the coldness of the dough. It is necessary to wait for the dough to warm up and rise or the gluten will be so tight that you will not be able to stretch the dough. It will be worth the wait!
- I have had good luck freezing the entire raw pizza on a greased or parchment lined pan, placed in a plastic bag. When ready to use, allow the pizza to warm up to room temperature before baking.
The amount of water needed can vary depending on humidity, hardness of flour, etc. Next time, if the dough seems too dry as you begin to mix it, add a little extra water (1 tablespoon at a time). Try not to add too much, as the dough may become wet and sticky.
The dough tears when I try to stretch it.
The dough may be too dry and/or it has not been rested sufficiently. It is important to round the dough (as in the video) and allow it to rise before trying to stretch it out. When yeast dough has been shaped and/or manipulated, the gluten gets activated and tightens. The dough needs a good rest before it can be stretched out.
My dough seems to sticky.
If the dough seems too sticky, try to add extra flour at the beginning of the kneading process. Flour added late in the game will not get sufficient kneaded .
How long should the dough rest before stretching?
Resting usually takes about 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how tightly the dough was rounded, room temperature, dough strength, and other factors. The surface of the dough should remain dented when pressed with the tip of your finger. When making yeast doughs, there are a lot of variables that are difficult to control, so it's hard to give exact times. Experience wil help each baker to know when to go on with the next step.
Why is my dough is sticky and collapses when I try to test it to see if it has risen enough?.
It's natural for the dough to be a little sticky. You can flour your hand before pressing your finger into the dough to see it the impression stays. The dough deflating, however, means that it is probably over risen or that your dough is not strong enough. The dough will be best when made with a good quality bread flour (like King Arthur) and when kneaded well. Shaping the dough before rising also creates a tight surface to hold the CO2 in the dough, preventing it from collapsing.
How do I use store bought pizza dough?
For best results when using prepared pizza dough, let the dough rest at room temperature in the bag or covered, until it has risen a little, and then try to stretch it out. It's been my experience that the bought dough is usually harder to stretch out than the homemade version. It helps to oil the dough prior to stretching. Olive oil is great, but any vegetable oil will do.
Do I have to use olive oil? What is the difference between extra virgin and regular olive oil?
You may use any vegetable oil in the dough - you can even use butter if you want to. The oil is a fat which makes the dough a little easier to handle and helps the crust not to dry out in the oven, allowing it to rise further and produce a lighter product. You may leave the oil out if you like, but you may need to increase the water a bit. Extra virgin olive oil is an intensely flavored oil that is obtained from the first pressing of olives without using solvents or high temperatures. It is the most expensive olive oil, but the best in quality and flavor. It's the oil I prefer to use.
*Depends on the temperature of your refrigerator
Hope this article enhances your pizza making experience!
Why is my dough is sticky and collapses when I try to test it to see if it has risen enough?.
It's natural for the dough to be a little sticky. You can flour your hand before pressing your finger into the dough to see it the impression stays. The dough deflating, however, means that it is probably over risen or that your dough is not strong enough. The dough will be best when made with a good quality bread flour (like King Arthur) and when kneaded well. Shaping the dough before rising also creates a tight surface to hold the CO2 in the dough, preventing it from collapsing.
How do I use store bought pizza dough?
For best results when using prepared pizza dough, let the dough rest at room temperature in the bag or covered, until it has risen a little, and then try to stretch it out. It's been my experience that the bought dough is usually harder to stretch out than the homemade version. It helps to oil the dough prior to stretching. Olive oil is great, but any vegetable oil will do.
Do I have to use olive oil? What is the difference between extra virgin and regular olive oil?
You may use any vegetable oil in the dough - you can even use butter if you want to. The oil is a fat which makes the dough a little easier to handle and helps the crust not to dry out in the oven, allowing it to rise further and produce a lighter product. You may leave the oil out if you like, but you may need to increase the water a bit. Extra virgin olive oil is an intensely flavored oil that is obtained from the first pressing of olives without using solvents or high temperatures. It is the most expensive olive oil, but the best in quality and flavor. It's the oil I prefer to use.
*Depends on the temperature of your refrigerator
Hope this article enhances your pizza making experience!
8 comments:
Thankyou Susy. Your Youtube site helped me heaps.
Suzy your the best! :)
That is awesome pizza info. I've been using all purpose flour all the time & the pizzas come out well except for the crust - it seems rather crunchy & biscuit-like. Is using bread flour really worth it?
It is to me. The higher gluten content gives you a crust that's chewy and light at the same time.
Thank you so much, this is the best pizza info I found so far!
could you share how to overcome the problem when weve made the dough, and it doesnt rise? Or shld we just throw it away and start all over again?
Great pizza dough, made a batch to try out and came out great. This weekend pizza party at home with mt daughter's friends. Wish me luck with thw girls.
Good luck!
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