Air bubbles in my pizza

[Stan]

Re: Air bubbles in my pizza

Rizzo,

I may have missed it, but how are you forming your pizza? Jay's right, you've got to start puffy to end puffy. You should try stretching a pizza skin and letting it rest a few minutes before topping/baking. That may give your base some time to re-inflate.

Stan

[texassourdough]

Re: Air bubbles in my pizza

Five key possibilities:
1) higher protein flour (toppings always "crush" the center a bit so stronger dough helps.
2) wetter dough
3) fewer toppings
4) "improved" pie forming skills (you need to start with a puffy pie)
5) don't overproof

You probably don't like the third option and the fourth is more evolutionary than straightforward (but the better videos and use finger tips and work from the outside in to the center are in the right direction.

Most likely a combination of 1 and 2 will improve you a lot. Wetter dough can be a real challenge. I recommend making some 85% focaccia to get used to working with really wet doughs and to learn the benefits of wet dough.

The fifth is something I am confident many of us violate for it is easy to have dough balls out too long. An somewhat underproofed dough ball will give more oven spring than a slightly over dough ball...

Hope that helps!
Jay

[rizzo308]

Re: Air bubbles in my pizza

here's where im trying to get to, light and fluffy, and cristy lots of air in there.

[rizzo308]

Re: Air bubbles in my pizza

So here's my attempt at pizza making, the three little piggies on the pizza tray!!! im happy with the result, the crust is golden brown top and bottom and nice and crispy but im aiming for more air bubbles through the pizza a light and fluffy result, same as in 2nd pic of pizza what do you guys reckon, what do i do to replicate piece of pizza in 2nd pic.
Cheers for your help.

[texassourdough]

Re: Air bubbles in my pizza

Hi Scott!

If you use ADY (Active Dry Yeast) you need to proof it if you want predictable and consistent results. IF you use IDY (Instant Dry Yeast or Quick Rise Dry Yeast) you don't and can simply mix it in with the flour. The difference is that the ADY has bigger particles and about 1/3 or so the number of active yeast cells. It needs to get jump started to get it going. The smaller particles of the IDY disperse more thoroughly, the yeast is healthier (not heated so far). If you use ADY and don't proof it you will encounter longer proofing times (for a given measurement) and if you don't autolyze and mix well after the autolyze you are likely to get uneven yeast distribution.

[scottz]

Re: Air bubbles in my pizza

I use ADY which I feed and proof in warm water for 10 minutes prior to use.

Hi all,
Just wondering if it is really needed to get the yeast going by doing this?? A lot of recipes out there call to mix the yeast with warm water to 'wake it up', but when I use the FB method....this is not done (and I find it still works well). Has anyone tried the two different ways and found one to be better than the other?

Also I agree with not using a rolling pin.....except when I make desert pizza ( I like a thin crisp base) and when I cook pizzas for the wife as she likes thin and crispy with no crust.

Scott.

[rizzo308]

Re: Air bubbles in my pizza

great pizza you guys are knocking up, so lets see how they look sliced, how they are air bubble wise interested to see. Cheers

[Tscarborough]

Re: Air bubbles in my pizza

It is definitely wet, well over 80% before I knead it, but I use a lot of bench flour and it drops to the mid 70s when I ball it. I also use a lot when I open the balls, so the final hydration is probably in the mid 60s. It is very workable though, no pull back or tearing.

[texassourdough]

Re: Air bubbles in my pizza

Nice set of photos TS. Dough looks pretty manageable in pics 1 and 2 and pretty wet in 3 and 4. The pie looks good. Well done!
Jay

[Tscarborough]

Re: Air bubbles in my pizza

Here are some pics of the dough in process.

1. After kneading, ready to divide.
2. Balled.
3. Cupped after an hour.
4. After 5 hours.
5. Pizza!

[rizzo308]

Re: Air bubbles in my pizza

cheers for your input guys, i will be making pizza at end of the week i'll post some pics of my attempt at making pizza.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Air bubbles in my pizza

I do not normally weigh my ingredients, but I did today:

720 g KAAP
160 g semolina
7 g ADY
1 tea ea salt and sugar

Total weight of proofed dough: 1611

Total weight of balled dough: 1685

This means, if I calculated it correctly, that I am at 76 percent hydration so it is wet although not sticky.

I plan on using this dough tonight so it will rise at room temp (72) for 5-6 hours.

I took pics but am not on the computer now.

[kmrice]

Re: Air bubbles in my pizza

Jay, you're right - the picture was what he wanted, my mistake. I be disappointed if I didn't have more bubbles than that, especially at the rim. Between your comments and Tscarborough's, I think the difference is my sourdough needing time to proof out of the fridge. I may try a pinch of commercial yeast in my dough before I put it in the fridge since sometimes I want dough without a two hour wait. Normally, though, if I take it out before starting the fire. it's ready when the fire is.

Karl

[Tscarborough]

Re: Air bubbles in my pizza

My normal routine is to mix by hand for 3-4 minutes, let double for an hour, then knead for 7 folds and ball into tupperware and straight into the fridge for 24-48 hours. I use ADY which I feed and proof in warm water for 10 minutes prior to use.

[texassourdough]

Re: Air bubbles in my pizza

Hi Karl!

I saw the photo but I think he implies that is what he wants and not what he is getting.

WRT your SD, it pretty much has to have some time at room temp for SD is generally not as active as commercial yeast at refrigerator temps. Splatgirl seems to have a strain that lets her refrigerate fairly quickly but...mine really shuts down in the fridge. I personally prefer recovery time AFTER refrigeration than before but..there are advantages to cold doughs (particularly if wet and sticky!)

God Luck!
Jay