Calling homemade pizza experts: really need your help!

[Alicia64]

I have a trusty bread machine that makes the dough using water, 2 tbl. olive oil, sugar, salt, flour, yeast.

 

I pull it out and shape it onto the large, round pizza pan.

 

Here's the trouble: every time this happens. When we look in the oven, the crust is a nice brown, the cheese is definitely cooked and we think, "it's ready!"

 

Then when we cut it and eat it the crust inside doesn't seem fully cooked.

 

What am I doing wrong. All I do is:

 

I shape dough and press it onto pizza pan.

 

Spread on red pizza sauce.

 

Sprinkle on cheese.

 

Add toppings. Put in oven at 425 for a little under 15 mins.

 

Any ideas?

 

THANKS!

 

Alley

[OnTheBrink]

I bake the crust first, then add the toppings, throw it back into the oven until the cheese melts and it always turns out fine. :001_smile:

[Food4Thought]

I bake the crust first, then add the toppings, throw it back into the oven until the cheese melts and it always turns out fine. :001_smile:

 

Yep. Put the crust in by itself first (7 minutes is what I do here), then top and put back in for 12-15 minutes. The cheese will always brown before the dough is fully cooked unless you start the dough first.

[teachermom2834]

Try baking the crust for 10 min or so before putting the topping on.

 

Some recipes call for this, some don't.

 

Sometimes I feel like it, sometimes I don't :)

[Alicia64]

Thanks everyone! I think I tried that once and it turned the crust into a giant cracker.

 

But I'll try it again!

 

Thank you!

 

Alley

[Dawn in OH]

How thick is your pizza?

 

I bake my pizza's for roughly 10 minutes at 450, but mine are thin. They are perfect every time. I never pre-bake the crust.

[jentancalann]

Thanks everyone! I think I tried that once and it turned the crust into a giant cracker.

 

But I'll try it again!

 

Thank you!

 

Alley

 

 

Don't precook it all the way, just about 5 minutes in a pre-heated oven. And maybe take it easy on the sauce?

[OnTheBrink]

If your crust came out like a cracker, you baked it too long. :001_smile:

 

And, have you ever tried putting the cheese on first, then the sauce over it? I saw that once on a cooking show. It turns out very tasty.

[Mommee & Baba]

Yes..what they said. Using a fork of course poking holes into the crust all over. Put into oven to bake by itself for 5min..then put toppings on it and put in oven.

 

However I LOVE my bread machine but when it comes to pizza dough I make my own by hand and let it rise the old fashion way. This is the ONLY recipe I don't use my bread machine, otherwise I'm a huge bread machine mama.

 

Heres my pizza dough recipe..also used for breads, rolls, pita pockets..and such things..

 

 

• 1 1/2 Cups Warm Water
  
• 1 TB Yeast
  
• 4 Cups Flour
  
• 1 Tsp Salt
  
• 1/3 Cup Sugar
  

Let rise 30-45min or til it doubles in size.

 

Spray pizza pan. roll out the crust with hands and form the dough to the pan. Poke holes in the crust with a fork to prevent bubbles.

 

Bake crust at 400 degrees for 5min by itself. Then put your toppings on and bake at 400 degrees for 15-25min or until pizza is lightly golden and cheese has melted.

[Quiver0f10]

Bake the crust first, then sauce, toppings and cheese and rebake until melty.

[AngelAnnie]

I use a non-bread machine recipe that has yeast, but doesn't require a rise time. The recipe is for 1 pizza I think, but I split it in half for two so this makes it thinner. I roll them out and put them on a sprayed air bake pizza pan (the ones with holes in the bottom). I bake them at 450 for about 12-14 minutes on the bottom rack. They come out nice and crispy!

 

Angel

[Shelly in IL]

I make them pretty thick! But, I bake them for 25 min. at 425. I have never had one over-cooked, and the crust is yummy every time!

[gingersmom]

I mix my dough in the bread maker but then let it rise for one hour before baking.

 

Are you letting the dough rise first?

[Lostinabook]

Thanks everyone! I think I tried that once and it turned the crust into a giant cracker.

 

But I'll try it again!

 

Thank you!

 

Alley

 

I usually bake the crust with all the toppings except the cheese. When the crust starts getting tan I put the cheese on & cook until bubbly & light brown.

[Lara in Colo]

I like a thick pan pizza so I cook mine at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Always good I'm also at high altitude and that make a difference.

 

Lara

[BikeBookBread]

This method has never failed us:

 

I preheat our oven with the stone for at least half an hour before cooking at the HOTTEST SETTING POSSIBLE -- for our oven it is 550. Don't fear the heat!

 

Prepare your pizza on a piece of parchment paper (unless you are handy with a peel), slide it onto the stone using a cookie sheet, set the timer for 3 minutes. Remove the parchment (you might have to lift up an edge of the pizza with a spatula) and continue cooking for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.

 

I've read up quite a bit on how to make truly excellent pizza at home. The problem is people cook them TOO LONG at TOO LOW OF A HEAT SETTING, and make them TOO BIG for non-commercial ovens to handle. Putting a ton of toppings on can also cause a problem.

 

Peter Reinhart explains pizza technique wonderfully in his book, "American Pie". I checked it out from the library. I highly recommend this book. In addition to Reinhart's high quality dough recipes in his book, I also use this semi-no-knead recipe often.

 

ETA: You may have to experiment with the placement the stone in your oven. We have a gas oven currently, so I have to move the rack up a bit. In my electric convection oven, I had it smack in front of the convection burner -- the middle of the oven. I generally make 3 or 4 pizzas on pizza night, and I make sure that I let the stove re-heat between bakings. The act of baking takes a lot of heat out of that stone, and you want it blistering hot when the dough hits it. Reinhart suggests even turning on the broiler for a few minutes after removing a pizza, just to superheat the stone. I've tried this and it works well. I then put the oven back on 550 and it is hot within a few minutes again.

Edited July 27, 2010 by BikeBookBread
More minutiae :)

[fairfarmhand]

Are you using a stone or a crummy metal pan? A pizza stone will yield superior results.

[Mom22ns]

Lower your temperature. If your outsides are done and the middle isn't it always means the temperature is too high! Try reducing to 400 and see if that does it. If you make a fairly thick crust and pile on the toppings the middle dough is going to need some cook time. If the outer edges and cheese are done in 10 min, then reduce the temp by another 25 degrees the next time. You'll find the sweet spot where it all gets done at exactly the same time.

[Brenda in FL]

I'd up the temperature to 450 degrees. I used to have the same problem when I baked it at a lower temperature. I also bake everything at once.

[GraceinMD]

And, have you ever tried putting the cheese on first, then the sauce over it? I saw that once on a cooking show. It turns out very tasty.

 

Not to hijack the OP, but we just had this recipe (below), and it was a HUGE winner in our house (not ... ahem... very healthy, but REALLY good). It looks involved, but really was easy. It has the cheese under the sauce, and I had my doubts, but ... really good!

 

Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

Ingredients

Dough

3 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

2 teaspoons sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast

1 1/4 cups water, room temperature

3 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted, plus 4 tablespoons, softened

1 teaspoon plus 4 tablespoons olive oil

Sauce

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (I used less.)

1/4 cup grated onion , from 1 medium onion (grate on box grater)

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Table salt

2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1/4 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Ground black pepper

Toppings

1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 4 cups) (I used less, but next time will use even less, although the pizza wasn't greasy - I just don't like that much cheese.)

1/2 ounce grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/4 cup)

 

Instructions

1. FOR THE DOUGH: Mix flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and yeast in bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook on low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add water and melted butter and mix on low speed until fully combined, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping sides and bottom of bowl occasionally. Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is glossy and smooth and pulls away from sides of bowl, 4 to 5 minutes. (Dough will only pull away from sides while mixer is on. When mixer is off, dough will fall back to sides.)

 

2. Using fingers, coat large bowl with 1 teaspoon olive oil, rubbing excess oil from fingers onto blade of rubber spatula. Using oiled spatula, transfer dough to bowl, turning once to oil top; cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in volume, 45 to 60 minutes.

 

3. FOR THE SAUCE: While dough rises, heat butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add onion, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and sugar, increase heat to high, and bring to simmer. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, 25 to 30 minutes. Off heat, stir in basil and oil, then season with salt and pepper.

 

4. TO LAMINATE THE DOUGH (This was the key, I think, to having a flaky pizza crust, not a bready one. However, it wasn't TOO flaky - I really hate a "short" crust for pizza.): Adjust oven rack to lower position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Using rubber spatula, turn dough out onto dry work surface and roll into 15- by 12-inch rec-tangle. Using offset spatula, spread softened butter over surface of dough, leaving 1/2-inch border along edges. Starting at short end, roll dough into tight cylinder. With seam side down, flatten cylinder into 18- by 4-inch rectangle. Cut rectangle in half crosswise. Working with 1 half, fold into thirds like business letter; pinch seams together to form ball. Repeat with remaining half. Return balls to oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise in refrigerator until nearly doubled in volume, 40 to 50 minutes.

 

5. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with 2 tablespoons olive oil each. Transfer 1 dough ball to dry work surface and roll out into 13-inch disk about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer dough to pan by rolling dough loosely around rolling pin and unrolling into pan. Lightly press dough into pan, working into corners and 1 inch up sides. If dough resists stretching, let it relax 5 minutes before trying again. Repeat with remaining dough ball.

 

6. For each pizza, sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella evenly over surface of dough. If you're adding toppings, add them on top of the cheese and under the sauce.)Spread 1 1/4 cups tomato sauce over cheese and sprinkle 2 tablespoons Parmesan over sauce. Bake until crust is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove pizza from oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

[LauraGB]

Too much stuff in the middle?

I'd increase the heat to at the very least 475, and put your pizza on the lowest rack, but only after you've made sure the heft of the ingredients are toward the outside. If you go easy on the sauce and toppings toward the middle area, including the cheese, it will melt and ooze and cover the middle at the end of cooking anyway, but allow your crust to cook all the way through.

 

For real. I've made the bread machine recipes and patted them into metal jelly roll pans. This advice comes from trial and error.