how to make puffy crust??

[Danl]

OK, I like PUFFY crust. As in, big bubbles, ideally in a thin crust. BTW, I use bread flour and bread yeast, as I'm an advanced bread-maker. I've tried NOT using a rolling pin (which removes air from dough) but just stretching the crust, I've tried letting the formed crust sit for an hour to let gas get produced before loading the pizza, and letting the dough develop bubbles in the fridge overnight in a long rise before making the crust. I make great crusts, but NO BUBBLES. Help!

Amusingly, I've seen loads of suggestions for making crust less puffy. There is plenty of advice for NOT having bubbles. The reverse of those suggestions don't seem to help me, however.

[The Dough Doctor]

Usually the problem can be traced to insufficient dough absorption (you want to have a soft dough), but since there are so many other factors that can be involved, baking temperature, what you are baking on, dough formulation/recipe, dough management, and how you are actually opening the dough into a pizza skin it would really help if we could see these important aspects of how you are making your pizzas.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

[Danl]

Well, I keep my dough pretty soft. I bake at 450F and on a ceramic surface. Dough is just bread flour, yeast, and salt. I'm aware that a hotter oven might help. Now, I have no trouble making good pita bread, so puffiness in pizza dough wouldn't seem to be unachievable with what I have. So suggestions would be appreciated. What formulation/management/opening strategies are likely to help?

[The Dough Doctor]

Doing things one step at a time, I would begin with increasing the oven temperature to at least 500F or as hot as you can get it, and allow at least an hour for the stone to heat up. How thick is your stone? Where is it located in your oven?
Tom Lehmann/the Dough Doctor

[Danl]

Yes, I think increasing oven temp is the obvious thing to try. The stone is in the middle of the oven (but it's a small oven), and is about half an inch thick.

[The Dough Doctor]

All ovens are different, but I would start my endeavors withthe stone located in a slightly lower position. This should give you stronger bottom heat while reducing the top heat which will help to control the top color of the pizza while being baked at the higher temperature.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

[Danl]

That's an interesting idea. I never thought of increasing bottom heat. Thanks.