Crust coloring?

[pizzabill]

I'm finally getting a crust/crumb consistency that I love, but the crust edge looks white on many of the pies...

Has anyone ever experimented with ways to make the crust brown without effecting the mix?  

Has anyone ever tried powdered milk for this?

Thanks in advance!

[Foccaciaman]

 :)Welcome to the site.
Sugar is what your looking for, add a tsp or 2 of sugar to your dough. This will brown your crust, with little change in taste to your dough.

[pizzabill]

OK!  I'll give it a try with the next batch - thanks!

Will sugar mess with the yeast? or is that amount not significant?

[canadave]

Hi pizzabill, welcome aboard! Care to share your recipe with us?

Dave

[RoadPizza]

The yeast eats the sugar, so it's good for the yeast.

You could also try brushing  oil on the crust after baking to get rid of the "flour-y white" look and get more of the golden brown "cooked" look that you want.

OK!  I'll give it a try with the next batch - thanks!

Will sugar mess with the yeast? or is that amount not significant?

[pizzabill]

The yeast eats the sugar, so it's good for the yeast.

So, it may increase my rate of rise?


I've brushed it with oil before baking and that seemed to help, I never tried doing it afterward. I was hoping to find a way of darkening the crust without addidng an extra step (my kids are impatient   ).

I'll try the sugar and let you know what happens!


Dave, you can certainly check out my recipes! I have them all online at http://www.gocrawford.com/pizza/

The best thing I ever did was buy Hi-gluten (14%) flour from a local baker's supply shop. Now it's almost impossible to screw up!  If only I could get this crust color thing worked out...

[Randy]

I agree, I looked at your recipe and a bit more sugar would help. You might try 1 tablespoon honey and 1 tablespoon sugar.  Also increase your oven temp to 5oo F.  If you use a stone preheat for at least a half hour.
Nice web pages.

Randy

[Pizzaholic]

Question
Didnt someone mention here that powdered milk will add to the carmalization of the crust??
Isnt that the reason it is used? I havent tried it yet but just got a box of it yesterday for use in pizza making
Pizzaholic
nice site and I will definately check it out more later
Thanks

[canadave]

Wow...great website, Bill!  And hey...the picture of that BBQ Chicken pizza crust looks plenty brown to me!

Question--do you actually detect the taste of the 1/4 tsp of garlic powder when you eat the pizza?

Dave

[pizzabill]

Thanks for the kind words Dave! I was already writing it all down and typing it, so I might as well make it into a web site!

As for the garlic powder - I leave it in because I think I can taste it, but I've never had a batch test where I've had with and without in the same night so I can't say for sure.   I know it made a huge difference in my sauce, so it can't hurt to leave it in for now.

Pizzaholic - can you let me know if you notice a color difference when you add the milk?

In the meantime, I think I'll ramp up my sugar. Thanks all! This forum ROCKS!

[Pierre]

Here's some more info:

The yeast will consume the sugar first and enzymes (amylases & diastases) in the flour break down and convert the starch in the flour into different sugars (glucose and maltose) which are then also consumed with time. The byproducts are several other enzymes, alcohol and flavanoids that give that taste.

Crust color improves from maillard reactions (browning reactions) enhanced by increased amount of sugars. Flavor is also improved by the same reactions. But the addition of sugar (sucrose) over 4% of the flours weight (Bakers percentage) will cause the dough or better said crust to taste sweet (not always wanted).

That's where Lactose or milk powder can be added. Lactose is much less sweeter than sucrose and in addition the yeast is not able to consume it. It remains in the dough after fermentation. When the pizza is baked the lactose will aid in the browning of the crust and cannot be tasted as sugar can or could be.

I use about 1 Tbs Sugar and 1 Tbs lactose for 260 grams of Flour in my New Yorker Pizza to get the crust to brown quicker and the baking time shorter so that the crust is not baked hard. It allows for a very thin crisp on the crust bottom without being hard. At least that's what I've been able to achieve with it's addition.

Pierre

[pizzabill]

Wow, thanks Pierre! Now I suppose I will have to try increasing my sugar in one batch AND adding powdered milk in another. It sure is tough having to eat all of these test pizzas  

[Randy]

Using powdered milk will also change the crumb structure.

Randy

[Pizzaholic]

Pierre
Thanks for the explaination
Randy-If a recipe calls for a quantity of sugar
Do you split the honey:raw sugar  1:1??
Pizzaholic

[Randy]

Yes it should work just fine.
Give it a try and let us know what you think.
Randy