Pizza Marketing Quarterly

NEW IDEAS FOR SELLING = MORE=20 PIZZA

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Pressed, Sheeted, or=20 = Hand-Tossed:
All Doughs are not created = equal...
By Tom = Lehmann -=20 The Dough Doctor

3D"Tom There seems = to be a lot=20 of confusion out there in pizza land over the = use of=20 dough forming equipment and = procedures.

It seems that an = awful lot of=20 people are of the opinion that you can use = whatever=20 forming method you want to use, or that suits = your=20 needs, and produce the crust characteristics = that you=20 want in your finished pizza. Nothing could be = further=20 from the truth. It seems that each and every = crust=20 forming method or procedure imparts its own = unique=20 characteristics to the dough, which in turn, = affects the=20 finished crust characteristics.

Many times I have = used the=20 example of standing between a pair of railroad = tracks=20 and looking down the tracks into the distance. = What you=20 appear to see is the tracks coming together, = much in the=20 same way as we might view the use of a sheeter = and a=20 dough press to form our dough. They appear to = produce=20 the same product. But, like the railroad tracks, = when=20 you get to the spot where you thought the tracks = converged, they are still separated. The = finished crusts=20 from the different forming methods are not alike = as they=20 had originally appeared to be. This is not the = result of=20 magic, or dough formulation, but it is the = result of the=20 unique properties imparted to the dough as a = result of=20 the forming method itself. Each and every = forming method=20 imparts its own unique characteristics to the = dough,=20 none is any better or worse than the other, but = they're=20 all different, and that's what we've got to=20 remember.

When selecting a = forming=20 method to use, you've got to ask yourself what=20 characteristics do you want in the finished = crust? Then,=20 you can look at the different forming methods = and choose=20 the one that will come closest to providing = those=20 characteristics.

I am providing = below, a list=20 of the different forming methods along with the = general=20 characteristics that each method imparts or = contributes=20 to the finished crust. By matching the sought = after=20 characteristics to those provided, you should be = able to=20 make a well-informed selection of the type of = forming=20 method best suited to making your particular=20 crust.

Sheeting/Sheet and=20 Die Cut:

3DSheeter This forming = method=20 involves the use of a dough sheeter to form = dough balls=20 into flat dough pieces for use as pizza crusts. = It may=20 also involve the

use of large = dough sheeters=20 for producing an endless ribbon of dough from = which=20 individual pizza skins are cut out using special = circular cutting dies. This forming method = generally=20 produces a crust with thick, heavy internal cell = wells.=20 This is created by the way the dough passes = through the=20 sheeting roll(s), disrupting the gas cells, and=20 degassing the dough along the way. If this dough = is to=20 be used to create an open cellular structure, it = must be=20 allowed to proof (rise) for a period of time (20 = to 70=20 minutes) between the forming and baking stages. = As the=20 dough passes through the sheeting roll(s) it = receives=20 additional work, much like additional mixing. = This work=20 has a tendency to further toughen the dough = through=20 gluten development, which can result in unwanted = snap-back, or dough shrinkage after forming. = This may=20 need to be addressed through the use of certain=20 additives containing dough-relaxing materials = such as=20 L-cysteine, glutathoine, deodorized vegetable = powder, or=20 sodium metebisulfite. If one of these materials = is not=20 used, the formed dough piece may need to be set = aside=20 for 10 or 15 minutes, allowing it to relax a = bit, and=20 then passed through the sheeter again to bring = the=20 shell/skin out to full diameter.

One type of crust = comes to=20 mind when I think about sheeting. This is the = old,=20 cracker-type crust. You know which one I mean, = this is=20 the one where you will have a lap of crumbs = after eating=20 your "crispy" pizza. I was raised in Chicago, = and during=20 my youth, this was the predominant type of pizza = made=20 there. You can still find it there, but you've = got to=20 look for it. It just isn't everyplace like it = used to=20 be. The thing about this type of crust is that = it's made=20 from a low water absorption dough with a high = protein=20 (typical pizza) flour. The resulting dough is = extremely=20 tough and difficult to shape. Add to this, the = fact that=20 the dough is usually formed very thin, and then = folded=20 once or twice, and reformed again. This makes = for a very=20 tough and difficult dough to form by any other = method,=20 except for sheeting.

Sheeted doughs = are created to=20 be flat across their entire surface. With this = in mind,=20 the finished crusts also tend to be somewhat = flat,=20 lacking a high, rolled, or raised edge unless it = has=20 been mechanically formed into the dough piece. = In many=20 cases, sheeted crusts exhibit a uniformly flat, = poker=20 chip appearance unless allowed to proof for a = short time=20 after forming.

In the world of = large,=20 wholesale production, there is a method of = producing=20 pizza crusts by the sheet and die cut procedure = that=20 does not create these characteristics. This = method is=20 commonly known as the "stress free" production = method.=20 By this method, large blocks of dough are = deposited onto=20 the forming line, and very gently reduced in = thickness=20 by means duplicating hand pressing and rolling = of the=20 dough. When formed on this type of equipment, = the pizza=20 crusts will exhibit a mix of the physical = properties=20 between cold pressed and hand made procedures = discussed=20 below.

Cold=20 Pressed

3DPressed Cold = pressing of the dough=20 requires that the dough itself be very soft and=20 "flowable". This is achieved through the use of = high=20 water absorption, high finished dough = temperatures (90=FB=20 to 100=FBF), and generally the use of reducing = agents such=20 as L-cysteine, glutathione, deodorized vegetable = powder,=20 or sodium metabisulfite. Because the dough is so = soft at=20 the time that it is pressed or formed, there is = little=20 degassing of the dough. This results in finished = crust=20 characteristics such as a bread like internal = crumb=20 structure, very uniform gas cells distributed = throughout=20 the entire crust give the crust a very uniform = internal=20 appearance.

Due to the soft = nature of the=20 dough, it is almost impossible to achieve any = type of=20 well-defined raised edge to the pizza crust when = using=20 this forming method. Also, because of the soft = dough=20 characteristics, it must be pressed out upon a = pan or=20 baking tray. These pans/trays are characterized = with a=20 series of raised, circular ridges on the bottom. = These=20 ridges help to grip the dough after pressing, = reducing=20 the amount of snap-back. Because the dough must = be=20 pressed out and baked on the same pan, that pan = is also=20 coated with oil to facilitate release of the = baked=20 crust. This oil on the pan actually gives the = crust a=20 unique fried bottom characteristic that is = impossible to=20 achieve by any other forming method where the = dough is=20 not baked in a pan or tray.

Cold pressing is = a very=20 popular forming method for focaccia bread, where = the=20 uniform, round cell structure is desirable, and = the soft=20 dough contributes to a uniformly flat cross = section,=20 much like that of a giant hockey puck. In almost = all=20 cases where the cold press is used, the dough is = pressed=20 twice to ensure that it is the full diameter of = the pan.=20 It is then allowed to proof (rise) for anything = from 20=20 to 60 minutes to achieve the desired crust=20 height/thickness.

Hot=20 Pressed

Hot pressing on = the other=20 hand, utilizes a dough press that has a heated = head and=20 in some cases also a heated bottom plate. The=20 temperature range that the press operates at is=20 generally in the range of 300=FB to 400=FBF. = Dwell times=20 (the time that the dough is held under pressure) = can run=20 from six to 12 seconds. Some of the presses even = have an=20 adjustment allowing you to vary the pressing = force=20 applied to the dough, typically, a force of 800 = to 1200=20 PSI is used for pressing most crusts.

One of the nifty = features of=20 the hot press is that some presses allow you to = form the=20 dough with a very well defined raised edge. = Because the=20 dough is exposed to the heat of the press head, = this=20 raised edge is locked into the crust by the = development=20 of a dry, leathery skin. I'm on record as = referring to=20 this as an "exoskeleton" of the pizza crust = before=20 baking. This dry surface also allows the dough = to be=20 handled very easily after pressing without the = need of a=20 pan or tray. Because only the outer surface of = the dough=20 piece is heated by the press surface, the formed = dough=20 piece can still be set aside and allowed to = proof (rise)=20 if desired. If you want to make an oven-rising = type of=20 pizza with a raised edge, this is the preferred = method=20 of dough forming.

Some hot presses = have only=20 the top head of the press heated. Dough formed = with this=20 type of press will have to be put onto a tray or = pan=20 after pressing since the bottom of the dough = piece is=20 still raw and somewhat sticky. One great = advantage of=20 this type of press is that dough for thick crust = pizza=20 can be pressed directly into the pan. The heat = from the=20 head will pre-heat the dough slightly, to help = speed up=20 the final proofing (rising) of the dough before=20 baking.

Formulas for hot = pressed=20 doughs will usually contain some reducing agent = similar=20 to the cold pressed doughs, but the desired = dough=20 temperature of the hot pressed dough is like = that of a=20 regular pizza dough, in the range of 80=FB to=20 90=FBF.

The finished = crust=20 characteristics imparted by hot pressing include = an=20 open, somewhat coarse internal cell structure = that many=20 people find to be very desirable. This cell = structure,=20 while open and coarse, is also quite uniform = throughout=20 the crust which, tends to result in more uniform = baking=20 characteristics for the finished crust/pizza. = When a=20 press with both a heated top and bottom is used, = the=20 resulting dry skin (exoskeleton) formed on the = dough=20 piece, imparts a unique crispiness to the = surface of the=20 baked crust that cannot be achieved by any other = forming=20 method. This dry skin also helps to control the = browning=20 of the crust, allowing the crust to be baked = longer, or=20 at a slightly higher temperature to develop a = crispier=20 texture. This aspect is especially beneficial = with those=20 formulas containing higher amounts of sugar = where crust=20 browning takes place so fast that a sufficiently = thick=20 crust cannot be formed and the baked crust loses = its=20 crispiness soon after the pizza is removed from = the=20 oven.

Hand=20 Formed

Crusts that are = formed by=20 hand receive the least amount of work, or = punishment of=20 any of the forming methods. While it may not = always seem=20 so, this is the most gentle forming method there = is.=20 Very little gas is expelled from the dough = during the=20 forming process, and very little work is put = into the=20 dough, resulting in less shrinkage or snap back = in the=20 formed crust. The necessary soft dough = characteristics=20 for hand forming are achieved through water = absorption.=20 Higher absorption levels provide the softer, = more=20 extensible dough characteristics necessary for = hand=20 forming. Occasionally, water alone may not be=20 sufficient, so a small amount of a dough relaxer = such as=20 L-cysteine (PZ-44) might be called for. =

Hand tossing of = the dough=20 isn't just for showmanship, or to give your = customers=20 something to watch while their pizza is being = made. It=20 serves a very functional purpose. The spinning = action of=20 the dough helps to create the desired round, = circular=20 shape, and the air flow over the dough surface = helps to=20 dry the dough for improved handling properties = (ever try=20 to toss a sticky dough? It ain't a pretty = sight). That=20 same drying of the dough also forms a bit of a = skin on=20 the surface of the dough, which helps to achieve = a=20 crispier crust characteristic.

The main = characterizing=20 features of a hand formed crust are a light, = "airy"=20 texture due to the fact that the dough was not = degassed=20 to a great extent during the forming process. = The crust=20 will have a relatively tender eating = characteristic due=20 to the gentle stretching of the dough during = forming.=20 The internal crumb structure will be = characterized by=20 relatively large holes scattered throughout the = crumb.=20 Overall, the crumb will be very non-uniform. = This=20 non-uniformity is at least partially responsible = for the=20 unique crispiness and flavor associated with = hand formed=20 crusts. The outer edge of hand formed crusts = will almost=20 always be lighter, and higher than that of = crusts formed=20 by any other method, again, this is the result = of the=20 dough not being degassed, or the gas not being=20 redistributed, during the forming process. The=20 non-uniformity of hand formed crusts is what = makes these=20 crusts so unique. No two are alike.

Now you've got = the low-down=20 on the different forming methods. Take a lot of = care=20 when choosing the forming method that you want = to use.=20 It will influence many of your finished = crust/pizza=20 characteristics.

PMQ

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