Looking for a puffy crust

[ZioLorenzo]

hey whats up guys, ive been making pizza at home for a a little while and trying to get better at it. One thing i dont seem to get is a nice puffy crust. not sure why??

I use a pizza stone on the bottom shelf preheat 550 for an hour. I cook the pizza on there for a couple minutes then finish it on the broiler.

Idk if my dough is the reason or the oven just isnt hot enough

I use 65 % hydration
100% Antimo Caputo 00 flour - 500grams
1 - tsp ADY
1 - tsp salt
1 - tsp EVOO

I mix all ingredients then let sit 20 min

Kneed for about 5 -8 min

let sit for half hour to an hour

make into balls then put in the fridge over night

the next day when im making the pizza I take them out about an hour before I use them
The dough stretches very easy, and it doubles while proofing

heres a picture of one of my pies not bad but trying to get it more neapolitan style ( i just use that pan for cooling not to cook the pie)

Not sure why its not poofy and softer, and also it doesnt have a ton of flavor

Any tips would be very helpful
Thanx guys

[c0mpl3x]

stretch and fold, not knead.   switch to KABF or SCBF, 00 isn't in your ovens temp range

[ZioLorenzo]

I use a kitchen Aide machine, with a dough hook, could that be part of the problem? I've used the king Arthur in the past and didn't see much difference.

[alex_chef2000]

 
Your methos is almost right, but try this:


Two weeks ago I had a pizza demo for children at church, we baked around 20 pizzas using stones and any kind of stuff, you name it we used it:  Bets results were with a cast iron.

1.- Try to bake your pizza on cast iron, you will see the first difference. ( check in amazon.com ).
 
2.- Do not ferment in the fridge, ferment in a cold spot in your house, you will see the next soft difference.

3.- Use only KABF ( sifted ).

4.- Do not use EVOO at all.

I hope this helps.

[SELES]

I've lived in three different cities in the past three years and have had the abnormal opportunity to bake in variety of different ovens in a short amount of time. I spent about three really frustrating years trying to get decently sprung pies out of my electric oven. Then, with the first move came a gas oven and everything changed for me. From there on out they were all gas, my favorite, a 300 home depot stove which had a heating element that doubled as the broiler. I miss that stove.

[ZioLorenzo]

Alex chef thanx, I have heard a lot is people talk about using cast iron, i will try that. And as far as the ferment how long would I leave it out on my counter , over night?

[alex_chef2000]

Alex chef thanx, I have heard a lot is people talk about using cast iron, i will try that. And as far as the ferment how long would I leave it out on my counter , over night?

Right now I am fermenting my pizza dough in a ice chest with four small ice packs inside, I will ferment it for 6-8 hours.  Look for a cold spot in your house, basically on a floor, not carpet.

I also use a poolish, it is a mix of a cup of water, a cup of flour and a teaspoon of yeast, I let this ferment in the fridge overnight and  use 20% for my total weigh of pizza dough.  To replenish the poolish, I just mix again 1/2 cup of flour with 1/2 cup of water and I return it to the fridge.  If I am not baking for a while, every month I add 1/2 cup of flour mixed with 1/2 cup of water to feed the starter.  This gives a special flavor and improves the dough.


Hope this helps.

[ZioLorenzo]

ok, when adding the poolish to your bulk flour do you put in any extra active dry yeast or just the poolish as the rising agent?

[alex_chef2000]

ok, when adding the poolish to your bulk flour do you put in any extra active dry yeast or just the poolish as the rising agent?

I use both, the poolish and active dry yeast.  Today I made the best pizzas ever.

[Jackie Tran]

I use both, the poolish and active dry yeast.  Today I made the best pizzas ever.

Any pictures of these beauties, or do we just have to take your word on it? 

[alex_chef2000]

Any pictures of these beauties, or do we just have to take your word on it? 

Sorry, I didn't take any pictures, we make pizzas every weekend, today I had a nap and my wife help me making the pies, basically we take pictures of special food presentations or carvings, not of pizzas.

I am a professional chef, so my life is involved with food all the time, for me to make this kind of things is normal, we bake our own bread and pastries at home every other day.  Many times our 3YO daughter helps in the kitchen and my wife takes pictures or video.

 
Just try the tips that I gave you, this forums help a lot with true and valuable information, but you need to try by yourself.  The information in this forum is hard to find in any recipe book, even you can have results much better than any pizzaria specially in America.


My culinary regards,

[ZioLorenzo]

Ok thanx, I made the poolish, its in the fridge. Today I'm actually going to try and use that for my tuscan bread and see how it comes out, pizza is on the.menu for later in the week

[ZioLorenzo]

So Tonight the pie came out the best Ive ever made ( in my opinion) the crust was definetly puffier. I changed a couple things I normally do,

1. I used the poolish at 18% total weight of the flour

2. I watched a video about stretching out the dough and changed my technique

3. last thing i did was after the stone pre-heated for an hour I moved it to the top rack and let the broil cycle for about 8-10 min then threw the pie on with the broiler running

Problem with that was the bottom wasnt as cooked as it usualy gets, and my thermometer said the temp in the botttom of the oven went from 575 to about 450- 425  so that wasnt good

But definetly a better crust and texture, going to keep trying and get better thanx for the help and heres some pics of dinner 

[ZioLorenzo]

Underneath not as cooked as usual

[ZioLorenzo]

Nice crust this time 

[alex_chef2000]

Nice crust this time 

Congratulations!!! you are getting closer, try a cast iron for pizza, you will see the difference, specially with this temperature range, you will have almost professional results. 

If you have a WFO you will not need cast iron, but at any home oven you will see a big difference.

I love this kind of pizzas because they are so hard to make that take several sessions and practice to make them the right way, the bad side is that you will never go back to eat any kind of commercial american pizza in your life.

Right now I am baking a Lemon Pound Cake which is in the oven, my version to Starbuck's Lemon Pound cake, it is also addictive to have a slice with an Espresso on a side.

I am happy to hear your results.

With my culinary regards,


Alex.:

[Jackie Tran]

Sorry, I didn't take any pictures, we make pizzas every weekend, today I had a nap and my wife help me making the pies, basically we take pictures of special food presentations or carvings, not of pizzas.

I am a professional chef, so my life is involved with food all the time, for me to make this kind of things is normal, we bake our own bread and pastries at home every other day.  Many times our 3YO daughter helps in the kitchen and my wife takes pictures or video.

 
Just try the tips that I gave you, this forums help a lot with true and valuable information, but you need to try by yourself.  The information in this forum is hard to find in any recipe book, even you can have results much better than any pizzaria specially in America.


My culinary regards,

Alex, I understand that baking and cooking on a regular basis can make it difficult to take pictures of everything, not to mention that food items can become monotonous and lose their appeal.  However, for those of us who don't make these specialty items often, we love to see those pictures.  If you remember or have time, I would really like to see your work.  Not only pizza, but anything else you want to share.  Like that lemon pound cake.  Sounds really scrumptous.  Don't just torture me with the description, but pictures as well please.   

TIA,
Chau

[Bill/SFNM]

Like that lemon pound cake.  Sounds really scrumptous.  Don't just torture me with the description, but pictures as well please.   

And recipe, please. 

[ZioLorenzo]

im excited the pizza gets better every time, and ive been learning a bunch since gettting on this site Great info from all you guys

[alex_chef2000]

 
  Here is my recipe for the Lemon pound Cake, I can share my web page but it is in a different language: http://www.mujer.com.mx/com/gastronomia/recetas/postres/575-panque-citrus

   Lemon Pound Cake.

2 Cups of cake flour sifted.
1 teaspoon of baking powder.
1 pinch of ground sea salt.
1 cup of sugar.
1 Tablespoon of grated lemon zest.
2 1/2 sticks of butter.
4 eggs at room temperature.
2 Tablespoon of lime juice.
1 Tablespoon of Lemon extract.
5 drops of yellow food color. ( optional you can use green food color instead ).

Glaze:

2 Tablespoons of lemon juice.
2 Cups of confectioner sugar.
1 Tablespoon of milk.

Preparation:

Creaming method.

1. Mix butter and sugar with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs, one by one in low speed to incorporate.
3. Add juice, flavor and color little by little. Stop mixing.
4. Sift and mix all other dry ingredients.
5. Fold carefully by hand.
6. Put on a greased square mold and bake at 325 F for about an hour.

After baking set aside, onmold until warm and cover with the glaze once it gets totally cold.

Glaze.

1. Blend all ingredents.