I followed Floyd's pizza primer recipe + method for thick crust chewy pizza but find it too sweet and am wondering if I can get away with adding less sugar? What does sugar do to the dough apart from making it sweet?
Also having problems with baking times. Pre heated oven to max temp - about 250 - 300c - and placed stone around middle to just below middle. Pre baked base for about 4 mins, took out, added toppings, and put back in for about 7 - 8 mins, but dough feels too "bready", verging on undercooked...any tips? Prefer a thick but crustier base ( pizza hut type!) Thanks.
SYLVIAH
You might try a longer first and second bake...up to 10 mins./12 mins. first bake and around 10 on second bake in a preheated 500 degree oven with stone and put your dough on parchment paper...this has worked for me with a browned crisp crust... just experiment with longer bake times...put your toppings on top of the cheese...and try to get the cheese browned as little as possible. There is some great info and recipes at fornobravo.com.
Good Luck
It may just be the way you happen to write it but could you clarify: did you say you pre-heated the oven THEN added the stone or pre-heated the oven with the stone in? How long was the pre-heat?
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Paul
I have been making pizza every friday night for my teen boys for years and don't use a recipe anymore. I follow the same technique and generally the same (mental) recipe but the finished product varies week to week. How wet the dough was, how warm the kitchen was and the finicky nature of ovens. Just keep experimenting - pizza is a yeasted flatbread and is pretty forgiving as far as breads go. If it doesn't seem done to your liking, pop it back in the oven for a bit. If you don't want it to rise as much, cut back a bit on yeast or rising time. Have fun with it. (Also, whole wheat, rye, etc. won't rise as much, mix a bit in with your all purpose and you will have a denser, chewier dough)
B.
SYLVIAH
I preheat the stone for at least 20 minutes. When I have not preheated the stone for at least this 20 minutes my pizza crust has not browned properly on the bottom. I have used Wolfgang Pucks counter top oven that comes with a pizza stone and made great pizza in it...which requires a 20 min. preheat of the stone....I do prefer using my large convection oven.