Briess sweet sorghum syrup in the Lehmann dough to replace the sugar 7/24/2012

These are the results of the experiment with the Briess sweet sorghum syrup and the pictures, that Peter set-forth the formulation (to replace the sugar) in the one day cold ferment Lehmann dough.


The dough fermented a little more than I would have thought in one day. I used a bigger plastic container because the dough was for a 18” pizza. The dough ball set out at room temperature for about an hour. It was hot and very humid at market yesterday. The dough ball opened well. When the pizza was baking it seemed to have good oven spring. I placed a screen under the pizza near the very end of the bake, because I was not sure if the bottom crust was browning too much. I really now don’t think I would have had to place the screen under the pizza at the end of the bake, but I am not sure.

The rim crust didn’t have a lot of browning, but the rim crust was moist. The bottom looked like it had browned enough but I thought the bottom crust was a little to soft, but Steve liked it. My great-granddaughter was at market yesterday and she ate a slice and said the pizza is delicious. I had to laugh when she said that, because she is only two years old.

Norma

One day cold fermented Lehmann dough pizza baked in my BBQ grill 7/21/2012

I mixed a one day cold fermented Lehmann dough Friday and used the same formulation I am using for market, but did not add sugar in the formulation. I used a TF of .085 Since I was going to do the bake in my BBQ grill, I didn’t want the bottom crust to burn, and knew the temperatures of my BBQ grill can go higher.

The dough was mixed by hand and coated with olive oil and was for an 11“ pizza. Kyrol flour was the flour used. The dough ball cold fermented for one day.

I turned the BBQ grill on and let it heat-up for a hour. The second time I went to put some cherry wood chips in the back of the firebricks, (some on the oven grate and part on the firebricks) somehow I pushed the one back firebrick away from the other firebricks with my metal spatula. I had to get that firebrick back into place so I could bake. I already had the pizza dressed and hoped while I fiddled around with that one firebrick the skin wouldn’t stick to the wooden peel. I had to get various stuff to try and get that firebrick back and the BBQ grill was hot. I finally succeeded getting the firebrick back into place and the pizza didn‘t stick to the peel. I did purchase a new smaller wooden peel and didn‘t have to use the one I had to rig up the last time I baked in my BBQ grill.

For the dressings 6-in-1s were used for the sauce, Grande blend of mozzarella, cheddar and provolone cheese (that Bob1) had given me, tiny peppers from my garden and small tomatoes from my garden. After the bake fresh basil was added.

The bake of this pie was about 4 minutes. The bottom started to brown before the top crust was finished baking, so I used an upside down cake pan to finish baking. I thought the bottom crust of this pizza did look like a Neapolitan pizza. It was even kind of foldable after it was taken out of the BBQ grill. After I ate two slices the crust did become more like a regular NY style crust after it did cool down. The crumb was moist.

I really enjoyed this pizza. I also really enjoyed the Grande blend Bob1 gave me. The flavors of the three cheeses went together well. Thanks Bob for letting me try the Grande blend of cheeses!

The first picture is right after the dough ball was balled and the second picture is of the dough ball this morning.

Norma

Rinforzato Pizzas with Ischia starter and Steve’s neighbor’s pizzas 7/14/2012

I was invited to Steve’s home last evening. A neighbor of Steve’s bakes pizzas in his home oven and wanted to see how the same formulation would work in Steve’s WFO. His neighbor uses Peter Reinhart’s Neapolitan dough. Bob (Steve friend and business partner) also was at Steve’s last evening.


I brought along two dough balls I had mixed late Friday evening. The dough I mixed was 60% hydration, 2.8% salt and was leavened with the Ischia starter at a room temperature controlled ferment. Steve ran his oven around 650 degrees F to about 680 degrees F last evening.

I wanted to use the leftover ingredients I had purchased at the 9th St. Italian market, so I took them along. I also had wanted to make fresh Ricotta yesterday, but other things got in the way. The pie with the dried cherries was supposed to be make with a white base, but the tomato base tasted good with the other ingredients and Mike‘s hot honey drizzled over after the bake. I found it interesting that my pies baked almost like Steve’s NY style pies that he had baked in his BBQ grill mod on Friday at about the same temperatures.

Steve’s neighbor was having problems at home and yesterday with using Peter Reinhart’s Neapolitan dough in that it is a sticky dough. Steve and I gave him some tips on using a high hydration dough and how to do stretch and folds to get the high hydration dough more manageable. Steve’s neighbors 3 pizzas baked in Steve’s WFO were very tasty and had great oven spring. I might have to revisit Peter Reinhart’s dough if I can bake in Steve’s WFO again.

I couldn’t take pictures of Steve’s pies he made because it was getting too dark.

Thanks again Steve for the invite! I sure had fun again. :)

Norma