Help how do you thaw and proof pizza dough

2Fategghead

A while back Cindy and I bought 5 dough balls for $1. each. Each dough ball makes a 22 inch pizza for the pizzeria. A thin crust pizza. I know they cook their pizza at 525F for approx I forget how many min's. I don't know the make up of the dough and I want to thaw one dough ball out and half it to make two pizzas.

I want to know how to thaw and what temp do I keep the dough ball. Am I proofing the dough? The reason I'm asking is I tried thawing one in the past and left it in the kitchen in a bowl thawed and covered for about 6 hours. The kitchen where the dough ball was is the furthest away from the heat source and most likely never got to 70F. When we went to press out the dough to make the pizza the dough never stayed put it always sprang back to a ball shape sort of. It was very frustrating so I know I am doing something wrong.

I would love to make my own dough and have done so using Zippylips bread dough recipe and it worked fine. My problem with making my own dough is I don't have a powerful mixer. We have a very old hand held mixer and I almost ruined it making the dough. I hope to get a KitchenAde mixer at some point but for now I will have to make do at buying dough from a pizzeria. Thanks, Tim

Clay Q

I mix dough by hand. Resting and relaxing the dough is key to rolling it out flat. Try defrost a day ahead then on baking day warm up to room temp then keep it covered at room temp 4 hours or more before rolling. The gluten strands in the dough become taught like rubber bands during mixing but will relax again after a long rest. I'm thinking the dough was taught when frozen and needs about a day unfrozen in the frig before pizza cooking day. At room temp the yeast will continue to grow and develop if the dough has not fully fermented. Good luck.

2Fategghead

Thanks Clay.

Clay Q

2Fategghead

Nice pic's Clay.

I have been trying to reach the Pizzeria that I got the dough from. I just got off the phone and I was told to bring the dough to 62-63F before baking. They bake their pizzas at 500-525F for 5 to 7 min's.

Someday I hope to get a good mixer to make my own dough. Do you use a mixer? What kind? Tim

MemphisQue

I am working on getting my dough to turn out like your pics. That looks great.

Fidel

Put in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and put it in the oven with the light on. Shut the door. This should get it to 90* or so.

Once thawed, but before it really starts to rise and get slack, cut the ball in half. Put one half on your counter with no flour so it is tacky/sticky to the counter. Cup your hands on either side of it so your pinky is on the counter, thumbs up. Then roll it on the counter between your hands, changing direction every 10-15 rotations. This will form it into a nice tight ball. Then cover that and let it rise again for an hour or so. Do the same thing with your other half and store or even re-freeze it.

Here are a bunch I made from one bunch of dough for Florida fest a couple years ago. The tighter you get them before rising/proofing the better.

2Fategghead

Alright thanks Rod. Great information and easy. It sounds like in a couple of hours I can be having pizza off the egg. Least wise once I tighten the ball I can start getting the egg ready to bake them. Tim

Clay Q

KitchenAid is a good mixer, will do the job and that's what I have. I almost always mix by hand- wood spoon technology- but when I'm doin 3 things at once the mixer is mighty handy. The whrrrrrr of the motor and gears is comforting in a bakers kitchen sort of way.

Clay Q

Anybody can make good bread but with the egg you can make fantastic bread, brick oven style! Pick up some hearth oven bread books and you will be on your way.

2Fategghead

Thanks for the info Clay.

Florida Grillin Girl

How did it come out, Tim? I would let the dough warm up in the oven as Rod says.

I make my dough in a bread machine, following the recipe from the booklet that came with it. It rises the dough and rests it and when you take it out of the machine after 90 minutes, you are ready to form it into your pizza crust. I bought mine on sale, or maybe you could buy a used one off of craigs list....sometimes people only use it one time and never try it again. I use mine alot, for bread, and pizza dough.

2Fategghead

Thanks. Kind of you to ask Faith.

I started a new post today.

http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&Itemid=112&func=view&catid=1&id=1031661#1031661