QUESTION: We recently changed over to using active dry yeast when making our dough. We hydrate it in 100°F water for 10 minutes, but we are unsure if we can add it to the remainder of the water, which is 65°F, or if we should keep it separate from the cold water. ANSWER: Once you have … More

QUESTION: How do you use a sheeter to help with forming a hand-tossed dough? ANSWER: When setting the roll gap on the sheeter/roller, adjust it so the dough is sheeted out to only about 2⁄3 of the desired finished diameter; then finish opening the dough by hand tossing. This method helps to keep your dough skins from … More

QUESTION: How does dough mixing time affect my finished crust quality? ANSWER: I’ve found that, as a rule, the longer the dough is mixed, the more gluten is developed in the flour, causing the finished-crust crumb structure to begin to take on more of a breadlike characteristic than the open, coarse structure … More

QUESTION: We are trying to make a pizza with a crispier crust, but no matter what we do we just can’t seem to improve the crispiness. What’s the secret to a crispy crust? ANSWER: The “secret” is just the opposite from what you might think it is: Add more water to the dough formula. This allows the … More

I’m sure that, by now, most of you have wondered if the price of flour will ever come back down again. For many of us, it can’t come down fast enough. Our bottom lines aren’t just hurting; they’re in serious trouble. With the escalating price of cheese, meats, and now tomatoes and fresh vegetables, … More

QUESTION: Why have flour prices been skyrocketing? ANSWER: To fully appreciate what is happening, we need to go back a number of years, to when many people moved from rice-based diets to wheat-based diets. This change was enacted mostly due to the tight supplies of rice and the abundance of wheat in the world … More

QUESTION: We want to start making personal pan pizzas, but we’re put off by the high cost of the pans; do you have any suggestions? ANSWER: You may find a more reasonably priced alternative to buying new pans for personal-size deep-dish pizzas. Check around with your local used bakery equipment suppliers to see … More

From time to time, I get asked the question “Where have you had the best pizza?” In all probability, my answer was, “The last one I ate.” Except for the one and only pizza that was made with ketchup for pizza sauce, I don’t think I’ve ever had a pizza that I didn’t like in some … More

QUESTION: What’s the difference between regular white table sugar and brown sugar? ANSWER: The difference between sugars in a dough recipe is very little. The only real difference is with regard to the slightly darker color of the dough with the use of brown sugar, otherwise, they both provide nutrient for the yeast to metabolize. With … More