Dough!! Please help. Pizza Stone Baking Discuss Dough!! Please help. in the Brick Oven Cooking forums; Mauro - I have way too many questions for you, before I can give you any advice: 1) What is ...

[70chevelle]

Mauro - I have way too many questions for you, before I can give you any advice:

1) What is the hydration % of your dough?
2) Are you using any oil, dry milk, or sugar?
3) What brand & type of flour are you using
4) What type of yeast (IDY, ADY, fresh)?
5) How are you working your dough?
6) How much yeast (%) are you using?
7) How long are you letting the dough rise?
8) How are you shaping your skins? (Toss, stretch, rolling pin)
9) How much do your dough balls weigh?
10) How big are your skins? (Diameter)

There are too many factors involved in making dough to pinpoint your particular problem without the above info. Post your recipe and technique and I'm sure we can figure it out.

I make different doughs based upon where I will bake them. My WFO doughs are made with Caputo flour, 64%+- hydration, and 1.5% salt. I'll also make up "indoor oven" dough (please don't ban me!). I'll use Caputo, KA Bread Flour, or Con Agra Kyrol hi-gluten flour, a slightly lower hydration (62%-64%), same salt 1.5%, and add 1.5% evoo. I let my dough rise in the fridge for 16-24 hours and then another 2 hours on the counter before I use it. I haven't gotten the hang of tossing, so I stretch my dough to shape on my knuckles and the counter, and I use 250g ball for a 12"-13" pizza, which is pretty thin.

To bake in my "indoor oven", I put my round baking stone on the bottom rack and my Pampered Chef rectangular stone on the top rack and heat the oven to 525* for about an hour, if I'm in a hurry, longer if I'm not. Dress the skin lightly with sauce, cheese & other toppings and bake until the cheese and crust start to brown. If you cook too long the dough will be tough, as it will also be if you roll out the dough with a rolling pin, or work the dough too much while making the skin. It could also be tough due to a low hydration % or some other technique your (or are not) using. Give us some more info.

[kimemerson]

With the right stone in a gas oven I have found it best to place the stone on the bottom and crank the oven all the way up - 550°. But getting the right stone is important, Don't use the thing you get at Target or some such place. I don't remember where I got mine, probably right here through FB. But it takes the heat without breaking. My quest for perfect pizza in a conventional oven ended. I am planning on building my first WFO and I am convinced that is the final ingredient to absolutely divine, perfect pizza.I think what makes my stone such a great one is the material and the thickness. I believe it's refractory material such as used in preformed WFOs.

[gjbingham]

I still have my pizza stone that I bought at King Arthur years ago. 50 bucks or so - about a half-an-inch thick and probably 16 X 24 inches.

I think the bottom shelf idea makes the most sense. I'm pretty sure that's what I did as well. Preheat at 550 degrees for a half hour before putting in the pizza. Keep the sauce to a light coat. Practice, practice.

G.

[egalecki]

When I'm forced indoors, I use two- one on the bottom shelf and one on the top (as far up as I can put it). The heat stays better with the two stones, and I get really good top browning. Still not like my wfo, but I'm sort of becoming a weenie about having to stand in the rain... my next oven has a cover over the whole area.

[gjbingham]

I'm in the same boat. Weather impacts use here as well. If the forcast if for rain, I throw out plans for pizza. Looks like building a cover over your oven would be as easy as mine. Just a matter of planning and getting to work.
G.

[egalecki]

Maybe so, but I'm not getting a "sure, honey, go for it" vibe from my husband... maybe a pergola style thingy? If I can talk him into it..

[gjbingham]

Hmmmm,
My wife offers little incentives for things that I don't really buy off on. She never really pays off, but her dirty little thoughts get things done, and every once in awhile, I get to play............(golf).
G.