Hydration question

[Puy de Dome]

I have been practising like mad these last couple of days with the 'Perfect Pizza' dough of 65%.

Tonight, I have not added 65% water to the 500g of type 00 flour, but added 340 grammes of water instead. I'm not sure what % this equates to.

Yes, the dough is a little sticky (this is not Caputo, but it is marketed as pizza flour 00), but not too bad, certainly manageable I think.

Anyway, I was wondering what effect the higher hydrations have on the dough? Could it make the dough more extensible, for example? Or am I storing up problems for myself?

Thanks chaps and chapesses.

[Wiley]

Re: Hydration question

I run my pizza dough real wet as well. Extendable! yes, but well beyond that, the idea of tossing one of my skins would certainly result in disaster. But on the plus side one can make really thin crust pizza. And I think one gets used to working with wet dough and so breads like ciabata, become less intimitating.

bests,
Wiley

[Puy de Dome]

Re: Hydration question

Hmm, interesting. Obviously I won't find out until tomorrow what the effect of this hydration level will be, as I have just made this dough and left it on the counter for the recommended 90 mins and then it'll go in the fridge until tomorrow. I'll get it out 2 hours before shaping and baking.

I just was wondering what impact I might find. I'll let you know if I have any disaster tossing and shaping.

[texassourdough]

Re: Hydration question

Hi Tim!

Your dough (340 gms water in 500 grams flour) is 68%. My suggestion would be to not avoid using flour on the dough balls during shaping to keep the dough manageable. knock the excess off and what is left seems to toast and give a nice nutty flavor I like.

Look forward to your report tomorrow!

Bake On!
Jay

[Puy de Dome]

Re: Hydration question

Jay, you mean just lift the doughball from it's container and dip gently in the flour and shape the pie from that?

Tim

P de D

[texassourdough]

Re: Hydration question

Hi Tim!

Two options. One is to simply dip it as you describe (or plop it) into a bowl or appropriate container for a cup or two of flour and then form on a counter or by hand. If it is REALLY troublesome and sticky, I use a half sheet pan with a significant amount of flour and simply form the pizza in the sheet pan, lift it and shake off the excess flour, and put it on the peel.

Note...for years I avoided using flour at the last minute. I thought it would give a raw flour flavor, but after seeing several top end pizza places do it I tried it and my wife and I prefer the pizza dusted with flour for (like I indicated) the flour toasts and gives a nutty quality to the pizza.

So...even if you don't need the flour, you might want to try it to see if you like it.

As wet as your dough is, I have to think you'll want to use it!

Good Luck!
Jay

[Puy de Dome]

Re: Hydration question

Cool. thanks. I'm off to bed now (lightweight!), so will have a cook up Sunday evening. The kids love pizza, and who can blame them?!

Laterssssss

[Puy de Dome]

Re: Hydration question

RIght, I had three doughballs this morning, and got one out of the fridge mid-morning to allow it to warm somewhat.

It made a great pizza! It was nice and easy to shape, and held together nicely. F~or example, before when I did this, and held up the base to the light, you could see the very many strands of (dough?) in the light. Today's effort was much more uniform.

I now have two balls left (I know, har har), and will have a bash at them in about half an hour.

What I notice about them is that they are not really very spherical - more like flattened out boobies, if I can say that. All the same, when I lift them up and flop them in the flour they are floppy, yes, but do come to order to make a decent shape. Remember, this is 68% hydration.

As my other thread says, I'm going to get some Barilla 00 this week for the big party next weekend, and will probably try the 68% again, as I found 64% or so to be a bit on the dry side and the base kept springing back.

Off to make pizza!

P de D

[texassourdough]

Re: Hydration question

Sounds like it is working for you! And that is the key! Bake On!
Jay

[Puy de Dome]

Re: Hydration question

Well, here's this evening's effort for the base.

As you can see, there is a rather thin area in the middle.

[IMG][/IMG]

[Puy de Dome]

Re: Hydration question

And here is a before and after of a little pizza I put together.

The 'tomato' base has been replaced with spicy caramelised onion, with a few sun-dried tomatoes, some Saint Agur blue cheese, and a dribble of mint here and there.

[dmun]

Re: Hydration question

If your dough ball holds a spherical shape it's probably too dry. You're not making matzoh balls.

[Puy de Dome]

Re: Hydration question

I might back off from the higher hydration, though.

[Wiley]

Re: Hydration question

Guy,
I have pulled out my recipe and have worked out my hydration. As a percent of the weight of flour (10 ounces-283.5 grams) my water added (one cup - 230 grams just shy perhaps 220grams) makes a hydration of close on 77%. My dough balls quickly become flattened and rounded in the raising containers.
My process for working the wet dough: The rising containers are inverted over a dusting of flour on the bench. As the containers are sprayed with olive oil before placing the doughball therein gravity drops the dough onto the surface in a moment. A light dusting of flour is sprinkled over to keep ones fingers from sticking to the dough. And the center is patted down (degassed) with the finger tips in the center leaving about one half inch around the edges. The flattened disc is then inverted by grasping the edge away and flipping towards oneself. The disc is then degassed as per the first side. One then grasps the edge furtherest away with the right hand and lifts the dough onto the back of the left hand. The back of the right hand is placed next to the left so the dough is supported by the backs of the hands. Lifting and separating the hands stretches the dough, one then moves the hands working quickly around the perimeter. One then flips the skin onto the dusted peel and if necessary adjust the shape. In this the top of the finished skin is also the top of the dough when it was in the raising container. With a bit of practice it is fairly easy to create a round smooth edged pizza with uniform thickness thruout the center.

I am not a pro by any means and it took some failures to come up with this process, which works for me. I hope this is some help when working with wet pizza dough.
Wiley

[BrianShaw]

Re: Hydration question

Two comments:

1. That pizza has me drooling all over myself!

2. I get that windowpaning when I fight the dough -- too aggressive shaping and not enough rest time when it tightens up, or when I try to make a big pizza with insufficient quantity of dough.