Would like a softer pizza crust
Yes I know it sounds like a stupid request. I finally found a dough recipe I really like, but are there any tricks to getting the end crust a little softer? It's just our preference. The dough has standard ingredients - flour, sugar, oil, water, salt. I bake usually at 425-450 depending on how much stuff is on it.
I don't use a stone (we bought one years ago but can't find it ha ha). If I did use a stone, would that good expanse of heat help me get the middle cooked faster and get it out of the oven quicker? Sorry if this sounds stupid.
The request also stems from me trying to duplicate a pizza from a shop that closed up in the neighborhhod years ago. Got the dough taste and texture down, just need a little softer edge. The shops here now all bake pizzas that have end crusts that should be registered as lethal weapons.
put more oil or replace the oil with shortening and increase the amount by amount plus 1/2 more untill you get what you want
shortening will give you a softer crust
You have the right idea with the stone - faster cooking gets a softer crust. Use a stone and the highest temp you can. I get a very soft crust and I cook on a stone at 750F.
Scott
My goodness, I am impressed. How do you get your oven so hot? What kind of oven do you have? I really, really want one.
Hi, I use my pizza stone and I have great success with KAF's now or later pizza dough. We like a chewy, soft crust and this works well for us. :-)
Ivyb
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Try adding a little (1-2 TBSP) powdered milk in with your dry ingredients or substitute 2 TBSP of milk for 2 TBSP of the water you are using. My pizza crust bakes up softer when I use an olive oil coated pizza pan and crispier when baked on the preheated stone. If your crust is very thin it will also tend to be crisper, build up the edges and make it thicker.
Never thought of the milk substitution. I tend to over analyze sometmes and thus overlook the basics. Thanks for all the suggestions. I will try the shortening too.
People keep saying milk powder and they are right. However, you should use dry milk powder. Instant will not work properly. I generally use 5% dry milk to my flour weight. The addition of dry milk makes sheeting a pizza painfully easy. Also, you should use a baking stone. The baking stone will cook the dough quickly so that you can take your pizza out of the oven quickly. Lastly, crank your oven up all the way. Remember that most pizza shops are cooking between 800-1000 degrees. Most home ovens will get up to 500-550. When I make a 16 inch pizza I only need to cook it for 10 minutes. The cheese is melted and slightly brown and the crust still has moisture. The longer you cook it the more moisture disappears.
Milwaukeecooking.blogspot.com
The last post is correct. More oil/shortening will soften the dough. Also, do a 24 hour proof in the fridge before using the dough. Also, if you have acces to Italian TIPO 00 flour, ad it 50% to your current flour