Q: I’ve heard you recommend that the yeast not be put into the water with the salt and sugar. Why is this? A: Both salt and sugar can exert a great osmotic pressure (they impede the ability of the yeast to absorb nutrients through the yeast cell wall/membrane). This effect can impair … More
Tom Lehmann: In Lehmann's Terms
How to Make Emergency Pizza Dough
Blown dough is the bane of every pizzaiolo’s existence, but there is a quick solution that should work anytime you need it. Make sure to keep your emergency dough formula stored in a place where you can always find it when you need it. Q: What is emergency dough, and … More
Food & Ingredients
How Local Water Affects Your Pizza Dough
Does local water influence the taste of the finished crust? Not as long as the water is potable and doesn’t have any “off” flavors. If your local water is bad, a simple fix is to install a suitable water filter designed to address the issue at hand. Q: I’ve heard so many stories … More
Tom Lehmann: In Lehmann's Terms
Is Undermixing Pizza Dough as Bad as It Sounds?
Once your ingredients are well-incorporated into the dough, you can stop mixing right then and there. The key is to mix your dough until it develops a smooth-looking skin, which will make it easier to handle during the scaling and balling process. Related: How to calculate bakers percentage in dough … More
Tom Lehmann: In Lehmann's Terms
How To Calculate Bakers Percent in Dough-Making
In this timeless article republished from 2018, the late Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann explained the specifics of calculating bakers percent in dough-making. Bakers percent lets you easily pinpoint any issues with ingredient amounts in your pizza dough. Related: A simple solution to your pizza dough bubble troubles If you’re … More
Tom Lehmann: In Lehmann's Terms
A Simple Solution to Your Pizza Dough Bubble Troubles
If you make mistakes in preparing refrigerated dough for your pizza, your oven tender will develop a needless attraction to the bubble popper. Here’s how to greatly reduce or eliminate your bubble troubles after removing the dough from the cooler. Q: I keep having problems with bubbles in my refrigerated … More
Dough Information Center
How to Minimize Snap-Back in Your Pizza Dough
If you’re using a dough press, you’ll need to start with a very soft and relaxed pizza dough to prevent snap-back. Even if you’re doing everything right, you still might have to add a reducing agent to your dough. Related: When your dough comes out wet and sticky Q: When … More
Dough Information Center
Why Does My Pizza Keep Sticking to the Peel?
If your pizza sticks to the peel when you put it in the oven, you might be using the wrong kind of peel for that purpose. Another possible culprit: the peel dust. Plain flour works, but there are some better alternatives. Related: Solving the double zero flour equation The late, … More
Food & Ingredients
When Your Dough Comes Out Wet and Sticky
If you don’t cross-stack your pizza dough boxes in the cooler, you’re likely to end up with a common problem: wet and sticky dough. By cross-stacking the dough boxes when you first put them into the cooler, you will allow the moisture from condensation to escape from the boxes. Related: The secrets to creating … More
Food & Ingredients
The Secrets to Creating a Better Crumb Structure
When we hear a pizza aficionado describing a really great pizza, it’s seldom the cheese or the sauce or even the toppings they refer to. It’s the textural properties of the crust, whether light and tender, crispy or chewy. So what’s the secret behind these important characteristics? You might think … More
Dough Information Center
How to Keep Your Pizzeria’s Wood Work Surface in Tip-Top Condition
Wood-work surfaces for pizzerias should not be washed in the conventional way, advises Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann. Keep in mind that any water applied to the surface should be removed as quickly as possible to keep it from getting absorbed into the wood. Related: How to achieve the perfect … More
Dough Information Center
Can I Use a Dough Press for a Cracker-Crust or Crispy-Crust Pizza?
There are a couple of ways to create dough with the soft, relaxed characteristics that make it amenable to using a dough press. If you are cold-fermenting your dough, consider allowing it to remain in the cooler for two or more days before pressing it, which will also contribute to … More