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Letting pizza dough rise?

highpress
highpress Posts: 694
edited November -0001 in EggHead Forum
The past couple times we've made pizza it has turned out great. We've been using pizza dough balls from Harris Teeter. We normally just take the dough out of refridge and let it come to room temp and then shape it with a rolling pin. :ermm: I know, some of you guys are yelling blasphamey right now, but hey... i'm a rookie. Maybe tonight i'll try shaping by hand.

Anyways, i keep hearing stuff about letting dough rise. Am I missing something by not letting the dough rise? More dough, better product, etc? I'm wonderinging if it's something i should be doing or is it mainly just a step when your making bread? TIA!
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Comments

  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Speaking as a rookie myself, here's what I know. The frozen dough balls have dormant yeast. The yeast needs to become active in order to produce the "spring" when it hits the hot oven. It also produces desirable flavors the longer it works. I've often read that pizza dough especially benefits from an overnight stay in the 'fridge, to let the yeast really develop flavor. For the sourdough I've been working on, I've been advised that about 36 hours in the 'fridge will produce the best flavor.

    I believe the rule for yeast growth is that it roughly doubles per hour for every 10 degrees above freezing. So as far as letting the dough sit at room temperature, an hour or two should get the yeast growing as much as an overnight in the 'fridge.

    As far as hand working, I've found that the best pre-made I've had works very easily, and can be well shaped by gentle hand stretching. Seems like hand work doesn't make the gluten as tough and hard to form as rolling. But that's just my novice experience.
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  • highpress
    highpress Posts: 694
    Well, when i take the dough out of the freezer and stick it in the fridge to thaw I should stick it in a bowl to allow to rise? Another words i normally just leave the dough tightly wrapped in the original plastic wrap it came in. If i take it out it will still rise in the fridge? thanks.
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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Yes, it will rise in the fridge. Do loosen the bag. The balls I've let rise in the fridge increase maybe 50% in size.
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  • Ross in Ventura
    Ross in Ventura Posts: 7,234
    This is what I make Jimmy
    http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001199.html

    Ross
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