Best way to warm dough balls quickly

[buceriasdon]

Any ideas on how to take a dough ball from the fridge and be able to use it in a few minutes?  I'm having to throw out overblown unusable balls if I set them out at room temp and not use them in a timely way. I'm making the dough a day ahead, balling and placing the oiled balls in plastic bags and into the fridge. I'm getting good oven rise using SAF brand IDY at .17 %,1% sugar,2% salt but at day two the balls are overblown. Should I cut back the IDY more? Thanks for any input. I'm now understanding why so many other places roll out their dough balls.
Don

[Pete-zza]

Should I cut back the IDY more?

Don,

Before cutting back on the amount of IDY, I would use colder water in order to achieve a lower finished dough temperature and thereby slow down the fermentation process. If you still have a problem, then you might lower the amount of IDY or use a combination of colder water and less IDY.

Peter

[buceriasdon]

Thanks Peter, I am using cold water presently. I may change back from the SAF to the previous bulk yeast I was using before, though I do like the SAF rim rise.
Don

Don,

Before cutting back on the amount of IDY, I would use colder water in order to achieve a lower finished dough temperature and thereby slow down the fermentation process. If you still have a problem, then you might lower the amount of IDY or use a combination of colder water and less IDY.

Peter

[jeffereynelson]

When I want to speed up the rise time of my dough I put the container on top of the oven. My oven releases a ton of heat so it does a good job. I make sure and flip the dough over in the container. However this doesn't do it in a matter of minutes. I'm stumped on how to do it that quick, aside from just putting it in the microwave.

[communist]

Don, Something is wrong here.  I do not think SAF yeast at .17 % is the problem.  I have noticed a trend on the forum of "rising" yeast levels  - and I am a bit concerned - levels of .4, .5, and even .6 are being used.  I doubt .17 yeast is the culprit. Now I remember you are in
Mexico - could heat be the culprit.  As Peter asked, what is your dough temp after mixing and what is your fridge temperature ?  What is your counter temp after pulling dough.  How soon does it overinflated?  I use .3 SAF dough at 80, fridge cold at 34 and counter at 70 to 80 and have at least 3 hours before my dough over rises.

[AimlessRyan]

Might this be a result of the mass effect? I assume you just began making pizzeria-sized batches of dough after years of making home-sized batches. If so, and if you're using the same percentage of yeast, I would expect the large batch to ferment much faster than a small batch would. I've seen this over and over when I've merely doubled the size of my typical small batch of NY-style dough. And if Peter hadn't told me about the mass effect about a year ago, I'd still be wondering why it happens.

[Meatballs]

If I want to make pizza in a hurry, and often I do as I have an oven that will pre-heat to 500 in less than 10 minutes, I use my finger tips to flatten the dough gently, but effectively, into a disc.  I cover and let rest 5 minutes or so on a warm metal table.  I will then begin to stretch the dough out with my knuckles off the table a little and replace onto the table for another 2 to 3 minutes in a different, still warm part, of the table surface.  I repeat this until I have the dough at the size I desire, usually it has warmed a good but but is still cool.  The finger tip process gently docks the dough to prevent excess bubbeling when baking off the less than warm crust.  Remember, cold dough will bubble worse than warm.

I can usually get a dough stretched and ready to go in about 15 minutes.  I do this as a regular practice with dough that has been in the fridge longer than I want and may blow out.  I think it makes some of my best pizzas.

Ron

[norma427]

Don,

I am just throwing in my 2 cents.  When it is warmer in our area and I see my dough balls starting to overferment, I place them back into the cooler and then open them cold.  Sometimes a colder dough ball is harder to open, but if it is left to rest after partly being opened for a little while that seems to work for me.  I also have to open some dough balls from cold state sometimes.  The little rest method does seem to work, at least for me.  I usually have a lower final dough temperature in the summer because my dough balls also want to overferment quickly in temperatures of around 85 degrees F or above.  If opening a dough ball from a cold state it can bubble in the middle, but a bubble popper or something equivalent can take care of that.

Different hydrations also can make a dough ferment faster when at room temperature. 

Also, how long does it take you to ball a batch of dough?  In the summer my doughs need less yeast and also a lower final dough temperature because at higher temperatures even balling does come into what I do. 

I also wonder about your small amount of IDY and how that can be the problem of overblown dough in one day. 

Norma

[buceriasdon]

Thanks everyone for your input. I really appreciate your thoughts on this issue. This afternoon I made a number of different sized dough balls for Monday evening. As is my custom I used iced water, lowered the percent to .1 and went back to my previos IDY. Perhaps extreme but Friday night was a disaster, lost most of my dough balls, so desperate times call for desperate measures. I'm going to try and also pace the evening as best I can, removing dough balls an hour ahead. Friday night I worked every dough ball I had left cold, here is a review from the Bucerias yahoo group from Friday night.

Last Friday evening my wife, myself and three other couples had a take out pizza party.  We ordered 4 grande pizzas (16 inchers) from "Donaldo's Pizza Hogar" on Calle Zaragoza (298.1361).  All 4 of Donaldo's pizzas got unanimous thumbs up.  We recommend that you check out "Donaldo's Pizza Hogar" next time you are in the mood for some great pizza and see what you think.
Barry Monroe

Glad they were happy, I was frustrated. We all are all our own worst critics.
Don



 

[SinoChef]

I am just throwing in my 2 cents.  When it is warmer in our area and I see my dough balls starting to overferment, I place them back into the cooler and then open them cold.  Sometimes a colder dough ball is harder to open, but if it is left to rest after partly being opened for a little while that seems to work for me.

Thats all I have been doing. Pull them out around 4 pm. When ever they start to jump, they go back in to cooler. If I don't sell out, I just use them straight out of the cooler the next day. I do give my sauce a little bump in the microwave if I am using dough straight out of the cooler.

Glad they were happy, I was frustrated. We all are all our own worst critics.

  Thomas Keller has a great quote about perfection, and once you find it, its to late, because it is gone again. And he is Thomas Keller.

Don't get to frustrated. Remember, you are selling an experience, not just a pizza. I have some dogs on my current menu, that I would not leave the house for. Aussie meat pies, and the Sauerbraten.  I find both to be disgusting. But the Australians buy me beer, and the Germans will scrap their plates clean with bread. They are happy, so I am happy.

[buceriasdon]

What a great group this is. I just can't express my gratitude. I expect tonight's pies to be on the thin and crispy side, not much lift to the rims and after closing I'll be making what ever changes I think are needed when I make the dough tonight.
Don

[The Dough Doctor]

Don;
I agree with Peter, I also think the dough temperature is too high. Look for a finished, mixed, dough temperature of 75 to 80F, and be sure to take the dough directly from mixer to the counter top for portioning, and then directly to the fridge. If you drop the yeast level too far you run the risk of the dough not rising sufficiently during baking, especially under the center portion of the pizza, the result can be a gum line just below the sauce.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

[buceriasdon]

Tom, I use iced water and I do divide, ball, oil and place in plastic bags into the reefer right from the mixer. Yes, I may have gone too far with yesterday's dough making and later tonight I will make the needed adjustments after closing. Thank you.
Don

[buceriasdon]

Quick follow up. I checked my dough balls about two hours ago and can see bubble activity, so defianately monitering tonight is on order. These balls were made using .1% IDY, 2 % salt, 2% oil, 56% hydration(iced water) and no sugar. They went in the reefer at 4 yesterday. This may mean I mix the dough in the mornings rather than a day ahead.
Don

[The Dough Doctor]

Don;
That rest period for the dough to begin fermenting before putting it in the fridge might also be hurting you.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

[franko9752]

Quick follow up. I checked my dough balls about two hours ago and can see bubble activity, so defianately monitering tonight is on order. These balls were made using .1% IDY, 2 % salt, 2% oil, 56% hydration(iced water) and no sugar. They went in the reefer at 4 yesterday. This may mean I mix the dough in the mornings rather than a day ahead.
Don

Huh? I usually use .25 or .3% idy and never see bubbles till about 3 or 4 days out. Is your fridge at proper temps.?

[buceriasdon]

Tom, I think I may have not been clear enough. I said four o'clock as a reference point. The balls go right from the mixer to the reefer.
Don

Don;
That rest period for the dough to begin fermenting before putting it in the fridge might also be hurting you.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

[buceriasdon]

The changes I made to the formula helped quite a bit with last night's bake. I did have to shuttle a couple of balls back to the reefer for a spell but overall I was pleased with last night.
Don

[nkozak]

If I want to warm up a dough ball quickly, I put it in a metal bowl on the top rack of my oven and I poor boiling water in a pan on the bottom rack of the oven and close the door. Ready in about 20 minutes 

[Tscarborough]

I use them straight from the fridge as a matter of course.