carmelized cheese at the edge of a square pan

[ahamric]

Hello folks,

I am making pizzas in an 8x10 steel pan, and I enjoy the carmelized cheese crust at the edge of the pan. However, at around 16 minutes at 500 F on the bottom oven rack, I am getting a black carmelization. While it is still tasty, I think it would be better if it were closer to a deep brown than a black. Any ideas on how to lessen the darkness of the carmelized cheese?

I am currently using 100% LMPS Mozzarella (Sam's Club - Stella brand). I have read suggestions of white cheddar for the cheese at the edge of the pan, but I don't know if that would brown less quickly than the mozzarella in the same environment.

Thanks!

Andy

[dellavecchia]

Hi Andy - does your oven heat from above or below? And how thick is your pizza?

John

[Tscarborough]

I do use white cheddar around the edges, mozzarella in the middle.  It ranges from brown to just short of black.

[ahamric]

John,

Based on the icons on my gas oven, I believe it heats from below, although the broiler element is in the top. I also have a warming drawer beneath the oven.

I am using a thickness factor of 0.15.

[dellavecchia]

John,

Based on the icons on my gas oven, I believe it heats from below, although the broiler element is in the top. I also have a warming drawer beneath the oven.

I am using a thickness factor of 0.15.

Steel pans are incredible to cook with, in that they really heat up quickly. If you are after a cheese that has been caramelized at the pan edge without burning, try lowering your temp to 475 and see if you can get your bake done in the same 15 minutes. Also, put the pan in the middle of the oven.

You might need to adjust your recipe if the bake won't happen in that time frame, that means upping sugar or oil (or adding those in) if you want the same browning on the bottom.

John

[ahamric]

I'm having some trouble with getting the crust to cook through. My latest attempt was for about 16.5 minutes at 500 and the crust was developing a nice crunch on the bottom but not done at the top. I may have to go longer, I don't think there is any way it is going to work at 475 for only 15 minutes.

[dellavecchia]

I'm having some trouble with getting the crust to cook through. My latest attempt was for about 16.5 minutes at 500 and the crust was developing a nice crunch on the bottom but not done at the top. I may have to go longer, I don't think there is any way it is going to work at 475 for only 15 minutes.

I think others can give you better advice here, but try putting an empty steel pan just above your pie on a rack for some downward heat. Or even put the pan at the top rack and use the broiler for the last few minutes. 16.5 minutes at 500 without a done top is a bit surprising - is the cheese under the sauce? Also, what is your percentage of sugar and/or oil?

John

[dmcavanagh]

I've been doing a lot of square style pies lately and my cook time has been a bit longer then 15-16 minutes. I like to put the pie into a pre-heated 500 degree oven, and after about 5 minutes I turn it down to 475. My bakes have been in about the 22 minute range. I like my crusts to be well browned and a bit crunchy. The blackening cheese around the edges could be caused because this is where you sometimes get a mixing of cheese and oil during the bake. Also, I find that part skim mozzarellas have a tendency to blacken much more than whole milk mozz. A great way to do this style of pie is to put the cheese under the sauce.