Cracker crust

[buzz]

Unfortunately I haven't had much time for pizza lately, but I did experiment again with the three-rise crust and it comes out cracker-thin and crispy! A note, however--I've been using my Salton pizza cooker!

The basic recipe is:

I cup AP flour (no need for high-gluten flour)

One-quarter to one-half cup room temperature water (the amount of water needed will depend on the humidity, age of flour, etc., so I start  with a quarter cup and add from there--last time it took about half a cup of water!)

A scant bit of canola oil (a TSP. at most)

One-half TSP. sugar

One-half TSP. Kosher salt

One-half to three-quarters TSP. yeast

Put all in the dough cycle of the bread machine (or use Alton Brown's instructions for a mixer--in other words, a very long knead)

Let rise three separate times--you can retard in the refrigerator if you want to, but it doesn't matter.

Roll out dough with a rolling pin--as paper-thin as you can get it (this simulates a sheeter at a pizza restaurant)

Next I transfer the dough to the pizza cooker and par-bake it for 15 minutes. Then I add sauce and toppings and cook another 15.

I haven't tried it in the oven because the cooker works so well, but I'm sure you could get the same results with experimentation!

[duckjob]

What temp does your cooker cook at? Also, would you happen to have pictures? That seems like an awful long bake time.

Brian

[buzz]

Sorry, no photos. And I don't know the temperature of the oven. But it's like any oven--you have to experiment to see what works best. This makes the perfect cracker crust, just like a pizza place!

[buzz]

I tried this recipe again, only this time I let it rise twice, then put it in the fridge for 24 hours, took it out, and let it finish rising for third time at room temperature (about another 5 hours).

It was awesome! I parbaked the crust in the pizza cooker for about 20 minutes this time--it formed big air pockets which were just cracker crisp and thin. I've made hundreds of pizza crusts and this is the best thin crust I've ever done!

The pizza cooker is a great machine, but it's terrible for deep dish (which is supposedly what it's made for)!

[canadianbacon]

wow, I am surprised you are using so little yeast.  I now wonder if I'm overdoing my yeast.... but then again your
recipe is only using 1 cup of flour.

I usually use 4 teaspoons of yeast, but I"m making a lot of dough, and use a good 4 cups of flour.

However I may try dropping the yeast a bit, and see how it goes.

Mark

[dinks]

CANADIANBACON:
  Good Afternoon. I hope you do not mind if I ask you this ???. You mention 4 tsp of granular yeast to 4 cups of flour. In round figures that is 2% yeast. It is most unusal amount. It would still work however. Your dough must double in volume in 35 to 40 minutes. Anyway my friend have a nice day.
   ~DINKS.

[Artale]

wow, I am surprised you are using so little yeast.  I now wonder if I'm overdoing my yeast.... but then again your
recipe is only using 1 cup of flour.

I usually use 4 teaspoons of yeast, but I"m making a lot of dough, and use a good 4 cups of flour.

However I may try dropping the yeast a bit, and see how it goes.

Mark

I am by no means and expert on pizza making all though my pizza's
as of late have been turning out to be great. I guess the sicilian blood
in my veins helps.  The amount of yeast your using seems high to me
and i would try it with half that amount. What might be happening is
a lack of browning . That happened to me  and since i have used a smaller
amount of yeast and proper fridge retard time (24 hrs or more) i am seeing
very good results.  I use approx. 1/2  to 1 teaspoon of IDY to 3 cups of High Glut
Flour (All trump).   60% water as well.   Salt , a little more than 2 teaspoons.
1 1/2 teaspoons of EVO and thats it!   Good Luck! 

[canadianbacon]

Hi Dinks,

I guess I should have been much more clear.

I used 4 teaspoons of dried yeast to about 1 cup of water and a bit, say 1/4 cup, so 1-1/4 cups total.

I then add in the flour until my dough looks good.  Perhaps that is closer to what you use.

I was always under the assumption that getting a fast rise to the dough, you needed what they suggest on the can of yeast,
but then again, they want you to use as much as you can, so you will be buying more, faster i guess.

In reality, I would assume 1/2 the amount I'm using will still work very well, and quite fast.

As for mine, yest it gets bulky very fast, I leave mine in the KA ( Kitchen Aid ) will initially mix it for about 10 mins or so,
then leave it there and let it start doubling.  Every 5 mins or so I turn the KA on and let it whirl around for about 15 seconds just
to get it mixed and so it doesn't dry out.  About 45 mins later, I'm rolling it out and making the pizza ( this is on nights where I just got the idea of making pizza, and can't wait for a 48 hour rise ) , just mix it up and within the hour I'm baking it sort of thing, - which happens often these days 

[buzz]

Traditionally, artisan bakers use very little yeast--maybe, say, half a TSP. for 3 cups of flour--but they depend on long, long rises to develop flavor. The more yeast you use, the more bready the result will be. Here I wanted crisp and thin, not bready and chewy!