Pourable pizza crust ... please help

[Johntodd]

Hi! 

I'm looking for a super-easy pizza crust recipe.  I've been working with the "Crazy Crust" pourable pizza curst and ym big cast iron skillet.   OK, after a few experiments, I've got it just about right.  This recipe DOES produce a nice flavor and crisping around the edges, but the middle of the crust is always undercooked and doughy.

 

I've tried it as listed, tried upping the milk to make it more liquid, and so on.   Same result.

 

I beg your advice.  The crust is all the stands between me and acquiring pizza technology. 

 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/crazy-crust-pizza-dough/

 

Thanks!

-Johntodd

 

[HungryC]

Hi! 

I'm looking for a super-easy pizza crust recipe.  I've been working with the "Crazy Crust" pourable pizza curst and ym big cast iron skillet.   OK, after a few experiments, I've got it just about right.  This recipe DOES produce a nice flavor and crisping around the edges, but the middle of the crust is always undercooked and doughy.

 

I've tried it as listed, tried upping the milk to make it more liquid, and so on.   Same result.

 

I beg your advice.  The crust is all the stands between me and acquiring pizza technology. 

 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/crazy-crust-pizza-dough/

 

Thanks!

-Johntodd

The fairly vague recipe doesn't indicate the SIZE of the baking pan/sheet, which is an essential part of determining how long it needs to cook.  Why not simply cook the crust for a longer period of time?  Your cast iron skillet's higher sides and, I'm assuming, smaller surface area than a baking sheet, will yield a thicker crust....so, again, it will need far longer to cook through.  Either switch to a baking sheet or cook it longer.  If you stick with the skillet, then preheat it before you add the dough.

 

FWIW, I don't really consider a dough with milk and eggs to be a true pizza crust.  More like a bread dough or batter.

[Johntodd]

It is a batter. It's a pourable pizza crust.  I'm just looking to improve it.

 

I've tried pre-cooking it before loading it with toppings, and it will burn the topside of the crust before the center gets done.

 

I'm thinking of two things:

 

1.  Use less of it so the whole thing is thinner,

2.  Drop the milk and go with water only.

[Tri2Cook]

1.  Use less of it so the whole thing is thinner,

Basically what HungryC said and exactly where I'd start. Use less batter for the pan you're using or use a larger pan. If you're baking a pizza crust at 400 F for 30 - 35 minutes per the recipe and it's not cooking through, I'm guessing it's on the thick side.

 

[Nayan Gowda]

It is a batter. It's a pourable pizza crust. 

 

It's more akin to a Yorkshire Pudding http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yorkshire_pudding

 

Turn down the heat after adding the toppings; that should stop it burning before they are heated through.

[Johntodd]

Cool, guys.  Tomorrow I'll try again with a thinner water-based batter, and we'll see.

 

I make these experiments and then eat them for breakfast.  I have to eat my mistakes.  God only knows what I've taken into my body over the years! 

 

Thanks!

-Johntodd

[HungryC]

Swapping water for milk won't make much difference in the overall cooking time.  Liquid is liquid, in terms of dough hydration.  BUT, swapping the water for milk will dramatically change texture and browning.  Milk will tenderize the dough and help it to brown evenly....using just water will make the crust pale and more chewy/firm in texture.  Think about the textural differences in challah (bread made w/eggs) versus a soft dinner roll (eggs, milk, butter/oil) or baguette (flour, water, yeast) or focaccia (flour, water, yeast, oil).

[Johntodd]

I thought water only would make it crisper, like french bread crisp instead of soft dinner roll soft.

 

I need a link to the  basics on this.  Anybody have a source?

 

Thanks!

-Johntodd

[Nayan Gowda]

No links; but, if you want a crisp bottom, you will need to add the batter to a pre-heated pan/baking sheet.

 

Even then, the inside will still go soggy after adding the "toppings"

[Johntodd]

It is preheated.  I put my CI skillet in there and then heat the oven.  Then pull the skillet, add oil, then batterm then flash bake, etc.

 

And it's the same old story: I smell burning bread before the center gets done.

[Nayan Gowda]

I'd get an oven thermometer. Sounds like yours is running too hot.

[Nayan Gowda]

Or the recipe you are following is wrong, and you need to turn down the heat.

[Lisa Shock]

For smelling burning before the center is done, the oven is too hot. Try lowering the temp by 50°.

 

I find that the majority of recipes on that site are terrible: badly written instructions, incorrect measurements, poor assumptions, and old wives tales abound there.

 

You might want to put it under the broiler for a minute after you think it's done, just to really firm up the top. Also, go easy on the toppings. <-this is true for all pizza.

 

That said, you should at least try making a yeasted dough at some point. You can make a large batch and keep it in the fridge for a few days to lessen the overall amount of labor. Then make pizza one night, calzones on another and stromboli on another -all in different flavors. If you have a stand mixer, it does all the work you just roll out the dough.

[Johntodd]

Yummy! No stand mixer though, but a bread machine.

Thanks all!

[Franci]

It's my standard pizza looks like this

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/144988-dinner-2013-part-3/?p=1921143

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/144988-dinner-2013-part-3/?p=1920902

More or less my recipe

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/144988-dinner-2013-part-3/?p=1921221

Another helpful piece

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/144988-dinner-2013-part-3/?p=1921256

I use a staub hexagon pan. Also, in order not too be soggy I'm careful with the quantity of sauce and promptly move to a rack, sometimes I quickly put it under the broiler still on the rack to get a better color (I have a gas oven)

[Lisa Shock]

BTW, this batter is just pancake batter. I see the main issue being that the instructions don't tell you to flip it. (ever eaten an un-flipped pancake?) They just want you to embed toppings in it and then bake for a long time. It's never going to be like real pizza. And, without a flip or extensive broiler use before adding toppings, you may always have the wet center issues.

[Franci]

I clearly didn't read the linked recipe, stopped at pourable. Sorry.

I think Lisa gave very good advise

[Anna N]

I can't and won't condone a pourable pizza dough. On the other hand 473 people took the time to review this recipe. Many of them found it wanting. Others, however, declared it to be the best pizza they ever had. In the middle were those who modified the recipe to get something that appears to have been quite edible. I did not do a statistical analysis but the majority of people who modified the recipe and found it edible added half a cup of flour and removed one egg. If I were inclined to try this recipe that's where I'd start. It's just not that hard or that time-consuming to make a proper dough with yeast.

[Chris Hennes]

I think there's room in the world for both yeast breads and quick breads, and if someone wants to put pizza toppings on a quick bread I can't see any problem with that. My inclination here would actually be to start with a recipe for a Dutch Baby and see if you can eliminate the sugar and sub in olive oil for the butter or something along those lines.

[mgaretz]

I have found two ways to keep the crust from getting soggy. First is to apply a light coating of olive oil on the crust before adding the sauce and toppings. Second is to precook any toppings that release a lot of water.