Q: What are the secrets of achieving a pocket-free par-baked crust with an air impingement oven? A: Par-baking a pizza crust in an air impingement oven can be a dicey proposition, thanks to the high-velocity airflow to the top and bottom of the crust. This can lead to the … More
Dough Information Center
Preventing the Pita Effect in Par-Baked Pizzas
How can I par-bake a pizza crust so that it doesn’t develop into a pocket-like pita? There are several things you can do to keep your par-baked crusts from turning into pitas. Possibly the greatest factor is the bake itself. While pizza is baked from the bottom up, par-baked … More
Tom Lehmann: In Lehmann's Terms
Emergency Dough: Tom Lehmann Explains How to Deal With Blown Pizza Dough
Emergency dough is a variation of your regular dough that has been modified to produce pizza skins/crusts as quickly as possible.
Tom Lehmann: In Lehmann's Terms
Will Mixing In Salt and Sugar Kill Your Yeast? Tom Lehmann Says ‘Not Always’
It might have seemed like a cardinal rule for a long time now, but it doesn’t apply in all situations.
Tom Lehmann: In Lehmann's Terms
Quick-Fire Questions with The Dough Doctor
Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann tackles a wide range of questions from pizza restaurant operators and pizza makers.
Tom Lehmann: In Lehmann's Terms
What exactly is bakers percent?
Calculating your pizza dough's bakers percent makes it very easy to immediately pinpoint issues with ingredient amounts.
Tom Lehmann: In Lehmann's Terms
Keep your thin crust from becoming tough and chewy
Q: Our thin crust is always tough and chewy, and nothing we do seems to help. What are we doing wrong? A: There are a number of things that can impact a thin crust, resulting in a tough, chewy crust. One of the most common causes is insufficient dough … More
Tom Lehmann: In Lehmann's Terms
The Dough Doctor Tackles Effective Dough Management Strategies
To understand dough management, we have to understand the two major factors responsible for dough formation.
Tom Lehmann: In Lehmann's Terms
Getting a Better Bake With Air Impingement Ovens
Q: We switched to an air impingement oven but can’t get a good, balanced bake between the top and bottom of our pizzas. Why? A: Your question is a fairly common one. I assume you’ve already worked with the baking time and temperature and made sure the oven … More
Tom Lehmann: In Lehmann's Terms
The Secrets of Effective Dough Docking
According to Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann, docking helps control bubbling in your pizza dough, but only if you do it correctly.
Tom Lehmann: In Lehmann's Terms
How to keep your wood work surface in tip-top condition
Q: We open our dough balls on a wood surface. After we wash it, the surface gets rough and needs to be sanded to maintain its smoothness. How can we solve this problem? A: The wood surface should not be washed in the conventional way. Ordinary washing causes the … More
Dough Information Center
The Three Common Causes of Soggy Pizza
Q: Our pizzas become soggy soon after baking, and our delivery and carryout customers have been complaining. What can we do to get a consistently crispier pizza? A: This is one of those questions that I get a lot. Pizza can become soggy shortly after baking for any … More