Dough isn't crispy

[woods witch]

Re: Dough isn't crispy

thanks for the input. I guess I should have been more specific! sorry! Yes, we are cooking in our WFO.(My avatar is a picture of our oven) It had been fired for every bit of 5 hours and was very hot. Possibly a little too hot when we got started. Our infra red thermometer is on the blink but I would guess the floor was at least 700 degrees. Roof was completely white and a fire was burning in the back. We used our digital scale, 1000 grams flour, 6 grams yeast, 670 grams water, 15 grams salt. Was hoping higher hydration would be a good thing...and the dough was formed on the day we cooked. I usually like to start the night before. I let it rise until doubled and formed it into 8 balls. At that point it did stay on the counter probably longer than it should have because more than doubled in size (I was out longer than expected). I am wondering if it is possible to have the pizza cook too quickly? Nice char on the bottom without burning, and the crust did also have char. Sorry I didn't take pictures. We have been cooking in our oven for about 2 years and have had alot of successes but I am just not thrilled with pizza crust! I am hoping for a crust that is light, slightly chewy but firm and crispy on the bottom. We have no problem getting the dough thin enough,and this dough stretched quite nicely. I am going to be using this flour this weekend to bake my first batch of bread. I have downloaded the bread book here and am currently trying to catch a wild sourdough starter on my counter! (wish me luck Jay!) I really appreciate any advice! I also want to mention that the bag of flour did not specify protein percentage. It is just promoted as an Italian bread flour.

Picasa Web Albums - carolyn - wood fired oven

[texassourdough]

Re: Dough isn't crispy

Hi WW!

It is virtually impossible to comment meaningfully on a question like yours without photos. WITH photos I can read between the lines and make educated stabs. Wtihout, all I can do is guess. Recipe, pie forming, and cooking time/temp are the most obvious potential culprits but... you give us no information about any of those other than saying your oven is "thoroughly saturated and hot" which is not not enough info to give me full confidence it is valid. You don't even specify whether you did it in a WFO or a kitchen oven. I can guess kitchen but... we need to know a lot more to really help you!
Jay

[josephl]

Re: Dough isn't crispy

Here is a good receipe for the high gluten flour. You need to measure by weight. I went to Bed, Bath and Beyond and bought a digital scale for $20.00
The receipe is 500 grams of high gluten flour, 325 grams of water. Mix water and flour together and mix until dough forms into a ball. Let sit for 20 minutes. The dough should look wet and tacky. Then add in 3 grams of dry instant yeast and 10 grams of salt. Mix for another 5 to 10 minutes. This will make 2 or 3 14 inch pies. I usually double the receipe and get 4. This dough is light, crispy and air bubbly. I tried alot of receipes and this one is the best so far. Also, when I make pizza in the wood oven it does not come out as crispy as in a regular oven. Also, when I use my wood oven I heat it up for 2 or 2 1/2 hours and get it nice and hot, then I push the coals to the back and let sit for about half hour until the floor gets about 550 degrees.
If the pizza is cooking to fast on top, I put two bricks in front of the coal to block the heat. Try this method and I am sure you will like it.

Joe

[woods witch]

I stopped at a pizza place in Harrisburg, Pa. and really liked the thin and crispy crust they had. The extremely kind man there offered to order an extra 50lb bag for me. The brand name is Assoluti, distributed by Roma Foods. It is a high gluten flour, of course. Well, we tried it this weekend and although the flavor was good and the spring was good, the bottom of the pizzas would not get crispy. Oven was thoroughly saturated and hot. Hydration was in the 67% range. Any suggestions? This bag of flour was a great deal at $16 and of course we have ALOT of it so I would really love to get it down to a perfect recipe for pizza! I am going to be trying my hand at bread with it soon and have high hopes!