DS Forums

 
 

Any tips on making pizza dough?


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 06-08-2011, 17:21
*paul*
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 3,239

I just can't seem to get it to rise, my crusts are always hard and crispy, not light.

1.I have tried both the sachet of quick action yeast and the normal yeast. I use a thermometer to get the correct temperature.
2. I leave it in a large bowl, covered in celophane to rise.
3. I use a metal pizza tray and put it in a pre-heated oven.

Any tips please. Its in the detail where i think i'm going wrong.
*paul* is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 06-08-2011, 17:52
degsyhufc
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Up North
Posts: 58,791
I use this method

1tsp of Allinsons Dried Active Yeast
1tsp sugar
100ml of tepid water.
Add the sugar and yeast to the water, stir and leave for 15 minutes.

Add 1cup of Allinsons Very Strong Bread Flour to a mixing bowl and add the water with 1tsp of salt and 1tbsp of olive oil.
Mix and knead for 10 minutes (I use a hand mixer with dough hook attachments). Add extra water if required (i've found the Very Strong flour takes more water). Dough should be slightly sticky but be able to removed from the bowl without too much trouble.

Turn the dough into a ball and rub all over with a little oil then put in a bowl covered with a towel or film and leave to double in size. This could take 2 hours and not the 45-60mins often mentioned.



When it is risen punch it down and remove from the bowl. Stretch or roll out the dough carefully so not to knock out all the air.


I transfer the base to a sheet of baking paper before adding the toppings.
Cook on the highest temp in a preheated oven. I cook the pizza on a cast iron flat skillet to get a crispy base and cooked through pizza with only a short cooking time.
degsyhufc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-2011, 18:02
*paul*
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 3,239
I use this method

1tsp of Allinsons Dried Active Yeast
1tsp sugar
100ml of tepid water.
Add the sugar and yeast to the water, stir and leave for 15 minutes.

Add 1cup of Allinsons Very Strong Bread Flour to a mixing bowl and add the water with 1tsp of salt and 1tbsp of olive oil.
Mix and knead for 10 minutes (I use a hand mixer with dough hook attachments). Add extra water if required (i've found the Very Strong flour takes more water). Dough should be slightly sticky but be able to removed from the bowl without too much trouble.

Turn the dough into a ball and rub all over with a little oil then put in a bowl covered with a towel or film and leave to double in size. This could take 2 hours and not the 45-60mins often mentioned.



When it is risen punch it down and remove from the bowl. Stretch or roll out the dough carefully so not to knock out all the air.


I transfer the base to a sheet of baking paper before adding the toppings.
Cook on the highest temp in a preheated oven. I cook the pizza on a cast iron flat skillet to get a crispy base and cooked through pizza with only a short cooking time.
I have the same yeast and do the same. It says on the tin one tablespoon of yeast, one teaspoon of sugar.
Do you preheat the cast iron skillet.
Finally once risen i roll with a rolling pin which flattens it. Could that be where i'm going wrong.
*paul* is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-2011, 18:07
degsyhufc
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Up North
Posts: 58,791
I've tried several ratios and i've found that 1tsp of that yeast, 1tsp sugar and 100ml of water stood for 15 minutes works well. You can knock down the sugar, it will just take longer for the yeast to activate and obviously you can tweak the levels of sugar and salt to taste.

I put the skillet in the oven and put it on the higest temp (250c in my case) for 30 mins to get it pre-heated.

I use a rolling pin to roll out the dough but am gentle with it.
degsyhufc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-2011, 18:20
*paul*
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 3,239
I've tried several ratios and i've found that 1tsp of that yeast, 1tsp sugar and 100ml of water stood for 15 minutes works well. You can knock down the sugar, it will just take longer for the yeast to activate and obviously you can tweak the levels of sugar and salt to taste.

I put the skillet in the oven and put it on the higest temp (250c in my case) for 30 mins to get it pre-heated.

I use a rolling pin to roll out the dough but am gentle with it.
So the sugar is needed to activate the yeast?
*paul* is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-2011, 18:22
degsyhufc
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Up North
Posts: 58,791
Yes, but it would also happen naturally over a longer period with just the yeast, flour and water.
degsyhufc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-2011, 18:25
*paul*
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 3,239
Thanks. Trying it now.
*paul* is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2011, 09:55
*paul*
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 3,239
Tried it last night following your tips. An improvement, but still not light and crispy.

Its once i've rolled it out, its then thin,and stays thin. More experimenting needed.
*paul* is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2011, 11:20
whoever,hey
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 30,072
Tried it last night following your tips. An improvement, but still not light and crispy.

Its once i've rolled it out, its then thin,and stays thin. More experimenting needed.
If its risen once, it should rise again. Do you leave it to rise onces its rolled out? I've been rolling my pizza dough less and less and trying the stretching technique instead. But then i like it thin.
whoever,hey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2011, 11:45
Spiderpig
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,228
My wife makes scone based pizzas and it is the best as home made more often is so we only get the shop bought ones to save time such as when on holiday.
Spiderpig is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2011, 15:30
degsyhufc
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Up North
Posts: 58,791
Tried it last night following your tips. An improvement, but still not light and crispy.

Its once i've rolled it out, its then thin,and stays thin. More experimenting needed.
Could be that the oven is not hot enough. Could be that there are too many toppings, or they are too wet and/or you're putting them on too early.
Also, if there is no base heat then it will be harder to get that initial burst of heat to puff up the dough.

That's why I bought a cast iron skillet. It's worked way better than the cheap pizza stone that I previously used (which cracked).
degsyhufc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2011, 15:44
whoever,hey
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 30,072
what sort of cast iron skillet would you recommend for pizza? does yours have a rimmed edge like a frying pan?
whoever,hey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2011, 15:51
degsyhufc
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Up North
Posts: 58,791
what sort of cast iron skillet would you recommend for pizza? does yours have a rimmed edge like a frying pan?
I bought one described as a crepe pan. It has a slight lip but works well for a 9" pizza which is perfect for me.
Mine was also pre-seasoned
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?_trkpa...&_sop=15&_sc=1
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/search/re...pan&sort=price


I was considering a Tawa but didn't know if it had a flat base or was oven suitable.
http://home-garden.shop.ebay.co.uk/H...=p3286.c0.m282
degsyhufc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2011, 15:55
degsyhufc
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Up North
Posts: 58,791
Also just seen this one that wasn't listed when I was searching for mine
Cast Iron Baking Stone - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAST-IRON-...item4cf875caa7



I do like my pan though as it has the handle which makes it a little easier to transfer and have also seen Simon Hopkinson using a similar product for many different things on his program The Good Cook
degsyhufc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2011, 16:11
whoever,hey
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 30,072
Thanks, i'll just need to work out how big i can get one that will still fit in my oven. I like the idea of a handle too but will mean it cant be too big and still fit in my oven.

I do make a good pizza, but know i'll get better results if i can preheat the skillet too. I just use a cheapo tesco pizza tray atm.

How do you transfer your pizza to the skillet? The pros have a wooden board they slide the pizza into the oven on. I'm certainly not going that far. My kitchen isn't big enough.
whoever,hey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2011, 16:20
degsyhufc
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Up North
Posts: 58,791
When i've rolled out the dough I transfer it to a sheet of baking paper. It's then easy to transfet that to the skillet either by using a sheet tray or just grabbing each side of the paper with your hands.

Here is a pic of an attempt on an upside down cast iron frying pan. It gave me the push to splash out on the crepe pan.
http://www.degs.co.uk/wordpress/archives/147



Get a good quality oven glove to handle the pan though. Thin gloves/towels don't work to well.
degsyhufc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2011, 20:25
fickrick
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,106
hugh fw recipe is great
fickrick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2011, 09:59
sootysoo
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: España
Posts: 6,848
This is the method I use and it always seems to produce the same results, a light but crispy base.

2 and a quarter teaspoons of dry active yeast
Half a teaspoon of dark, brown sugar
350ml warm water
One teaspoon olive oil
Pinch of salt
425g type 00 flour

Dissolve the yeast & sugar in the warm water in a bowl big enough to mix he entire dough in.

The yeast should begin to make a froth on the surface of the water mixture

Add the salt & oil to this mixture

Add half of the flour & stir

Add the rest of the flour gradually, not all of it is needed or sometimes you may need to add more but it's best to add it gradually so you know how much you will need. You can't take away any flour once you've added it.

Once the dough had been formed, leave it in a ball in the middle of your bowl and cover with a clean, damp cloth & leave to rise (about an hour if you have the time) preferably at room temperature, not where there's a draft.

Punch the air out of the dough and roll out into whatever shape pizza you want.
sootysoo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2011, 16:16
*paul*
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 3,239
what sort of cast iron skillet would you recommend for pizza? does yours have a rimmed edge like a frying pan?
Whats the difference between that and a pizza stone.

I also use a cheap Tesco pizza tray, but the underneath of the pizza is never cooked.
*paul* is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2011, 16:35
degsyhufc
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Up North
Posts: 58,791
Whats the difference between that and a pizza stone.

I also use a cheap Tesco pizza tray, but the underneath of the pizza is never cooked.
My cheap pizza stone cracked but even before that it didn't get super hot. The bonus of a cast iron pan is that you can also heat it on the hob to get it super hot.
It gets the base cooking immediately and gives a nice crust.
degsyhufc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2011, 16:42
*paul*
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 3,239
My cheap pizza stone cracked but even before that it didn't get super hot. The bonus of a cast iron pan is that you can also heat it on the hob to get it super hot.
.
Thanks.
*paul* is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2011, 16:37
allegoricus
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Lytham St Annes, England
Posts: 4
Whats the difference between that and a pizza stone.

I also use a cheap Tesco pizza tray, but the underneath of the pizza is never cooked.
There's no point using a pizza stone unless you get it good and hot first, so stick it in the oven when you turn it on. [1]
A thoroughly-heated stone may very well halve the cooking time.

A 30cm floor tile (about £2 from Topps Tiles) works just as well, although I like somebody's suggestion of heating a cast iron skillet on the stove top, which sounds a lot more efficient.

[1] You also need a flat baking sheet so you can slide the pizza onto your hot stone.
allegoricus is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 17:55.