Author Topic: Latest Pizzas - Possibly learn't something about lepording (Read 3456 times)

a pizza cu a Pumarola · « **on:** November 11, 2009, 09:36:32 PM »

Below are a few pics of my latest pizzas. I did only room temperature ferment and I wasn't happy with the leapording on that batch. Since I did not have time to bake all 10 pizzas I put 4 dough balls in the fridge for an additional day and the visual outcome was much better. As you can see from the pictures there was alot of leapording but taste wise I did could not tell the difference from the pizzas I made the previous day which had little to no leapording.

These are the pictures of the batch that had an additional one day cold ferment.

Bill/SFNM · « **Reply #1 on:** November 11, 2009, 10:00:36 PM »

I recently ran a test in which I posited that storing unused dough balls in the fridge did not seem to be factor in leoparding.

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,6214.msg83014.html#msg83014

Is it possible that your second batch was baked at a higher temp?

widespreadpizza · « **Reply #2 on:** November 11, 2009, 10:11:38 PM »

Are these leavend with natural yeast or commercial yeast?

Infoodel · « **Reply #3 on:** November 12, 2009, 12:03:54 AM »

Those pizzas are looking good (if a little charred on the surface). It is strange that you did not experience *any* change in flavour between the refrigerated dough pizza and the same-day pizza...although the difference is perhaps more noticeable in a natural-yeast-leavened dough than commercial yeast.
I'm afraid that like Bill I've found no hard/direct correlation between fermentation in the 'fridge and leoparding - but hey whatever works!
Keep 'em coming!
FP

artigiano · « **Reply #4 on:** November 12, 2009, 02:35:15 AM »

In my opinion the only real factor is intense heat and turning the pizzas before they burn so u see the leoparding. Seems like we may be over thinking things. It happens with anything pita, naan bread even in my "brustengo" post that is almost like a pancake batter. Its all about the blistering effect of heat on dough, regardless of the consistency or fermentation time.

andreguidon · « **Reply #5 on:** November 12, 2009, 04:35:56 AM »

my opinion is that its the hi heat... when the oven cools down just a bit ( talking about 40-50C), you could usenthe same dough at same day, every thing changes....

Matthew · « **Reply #6 on:** November 12, 2009, 06:23:17 AM »

Great job Robert! I agree; it's all about the heat.

Matt

a pizza cu a Pumarola · « **Reply #7 on:** November 12, 2009, 08:08:02 AM »

Quote from: Bill/SFNM on November 11, 2009, 10:00:36 PM

I recently ran a test in which I posited that storing unused dough balls in the fridge did not seem to be factor in leoparding.

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,6214.msg83014.html#msg83014

Is it possible that your second batch was baked at a higher temp?

Looking back at the notes I took during the baking process you guys are dead on with the higher temps - I baked the second batch (as shown in the pictures) at 950 degrees F. Possibly a little too high since the top charred a little as Infoodel pointed out......none the less it was a tasty batch.

a pizza cu a Pumarola · « **Reply #8 on:** November 12, 2009, 08:11:23 AM »

Quote from: widespreadpizza on November 11, 2009, 10:11:38 PM

Are these leavend with natural yeast or commercial yeast?

These were made with just good old fashioned commercial yeast - I do not have any experience with natural yeasts although I am awaiting my first order I placed from sourdo.com.

pizzaboyfan · « **Reply #9 on:** November 12, 2009, 11:30:38 AM »

I'm not quite buying into the heat theory.
I cook in a small 33" diameter WFO...I can't imagine a hotter oven.
I should have spots galore with each and every pie..yet I've only seen it on older doughs (3-4 days) and in doughs that I used too much yeast with.

artigiano · « **Reply #10 on:** November 12, 2009, 12:55:29 PM »

u need to play with the heat.. if u leave it too long it will brown
just blast one side for a few seconds and then start turning

shango · « **Reply #11 on:** November 12, 2009, 01:00:51 PM »

I would say it has more to do with live flame, (versus a bed of coals-lacking a live flame) and convection created by the live flame. No science to back it up-just many, many years of baking pizze in WFO.

andreguidon · « **Reply #12 on:** November 12, 2009, 01:14:59 PM »

Shango has a point... wen the flames are higher the spots appear better...

thezaman · « **Reply #13 on:** November 12, 2009, 01:20:26 PM »

i think high heat and dough age have a lot do do with the spots . hi heat and fresh dough gives a overall browner crust. old dough is lacking in sugar and can cook longer at high temps. the spots are sugar and gas that is still left in the dough. that spotted dough is at the end of its life cycle. my theory on the phenomenon .

shango · « **Reply #14 on:** November 12, 2009, 01:55:44 PM »

No offense but, I think I could dis-prove your theory fairly easily. I will have to ask a friend for access to his wood burner.

thezaman · « **Reply #15 on:** November 12, 2009, 02:19:13 PM »

no offense taken ,i will send pics of pizza cooked three days apart same dough, same oven temp., to try to prove my '' theory of the spots''.

pizzaboyfan · « **Reply #16 on:** November 12, 2009, 02:20:36 PM »

I'm always cooking with a live flame..

Infoodel · « **Reply #17 on:** November 12, 2009, 03:00:42 PM »

Quote from: shango on November 12, 2009, 01:00:51 PM

I would say it has more to do with live flame, (versus a bed of coals-lacking a live flame) and convection created by the live flame. No science to back it up-just many, many years of baking pizze in WFO.

I'd have to disagree with that theory. I use an electric oven and get more leoparding than sometimes I'd honestly like. It has everything to do with balancing the heat (radiant vs stone) and nothing specifically to do with a 'live flame'. The only live flame I've had in the oven recently was when my cornicione caught fire!

I would agree that leoparding is probably more *likely* to occur in a WFO than any other type of heat.
FWIW I saw a video recently of Mario Batali @ Totonnos (coney island) and there appeared to be a distinct 'live flame' stretching out across the ceiling of the oven but no leoparding on the crust to speak of.

Toby

artigiano · « **Reply #18 on:** November 12, 2009, 03:16:05 PM »

i agree toby... in my opinion its easy.... heat.

this is the effect on dough when exposed with high enough heat and the right amount of time. too long and it will burn, not high enough heat and it will brown. Intense heat for the right amount of time creates the leoparding effect.

Infoodel · « **Reply #19 on:** November 12, 2009, 03:20:46 PM »

Quote from: artigiano on November 12, 2009, 03:16:05 PM

i agree toby... in my opinion its easy.... heat.

this is the effect on dough when exposed with high enough heat and the right amount of time. too long and it will burn, not high enough heat and it will brown. Intense heat for the right amount of time creates the leoparding effect.

Yes, I would say that heat is the differential if not the sole factor in the creation of leopard spots.

Toby