Hi, I’m just starting on my pizza journey. I did my second bake today and have a few questions – details below.
I’m using a Roccbox that I was gifted. I preheated the Roccbox and the floor temo (via infrared thermometer) was between 480-550 Celsius depending on where I was taking the reading. I used [this dough recipe](https://www.seriouseats.com/basic-pizza-dough-for-high-temperature-outdoor-pizza-ovens-5211302).
The first bake was after the dough had rested for about 1.25 days. I think it went OK for my first time (photos on my profile), but the dough didn’t puff up as well as I’ve seen other pizzas do it; and I scorched the crusts and bottom a bit. Today was bake 2, and the dough had rested in the fridge for 5 days now … I suspect maybe that’s been too long as the dough didn’t rise nearly as much. Still some small bubbles in the crust, but in general it was much flatter and the bottom was very burnt.
So my two questions
1. What temperature should the stone be? I feel like I’ve read 480-500 so I know I’d do overshoot that mark a bit at 550 in some spots. The bottom was burned before the dough and toppings fully cooked.
2. What can I do to ensure a better rise and puff on my crust?
Thanks!
by imghurrr
9 Comments
Hello /u/imghurrr!
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Edit: I can’t read. Disregard the below.
It may sound counter intuitive but you need the stone to be hotter. Let it get to around 800-850 (I’m assuming you’re working in Fahrenheit). Then turn the flame down to low.
The high heat of the stone will cause what’s called “oven spring”, which is where the water in your dough rapidly converts to steam and the dough puffs faster. This will result in less time needing to be in contact with the stone and shouldn’t burn. Turning the flame down to low will let the top and sides of your pizza cook more from the ambient heat in your oven and less from the direct heat of the flame, resulting in less burn around the tops and crust.
Guy
All the food you post looks awesome.
Your oven is going to be a bit different from other ovens. Its hard to help without the dough recipe to see why the dough is doing this. I agree with another poster who said hot stone, but turn the oven way way down when you launch the pizza so that the top doesn’t burn while the crust is cooking. You can dome it at the end if you need to to get the top done.
Keep banging away and you’ll get there.
According to a few videos I’ve watched, the burnt bottom you describe is common with the first pizza, and then the cooking actually cools the stone slightly so that the next pizza is better.
I don’t have experience with Roccbox, but in some ovens you have space to lift the pizza off the stone and hold it closer to the flame so the bottom stops and the top cooks. As u/Chess-Piece-Face mentioned, every oven is different and part of the fun is learning how to get the most from yours!
Keep enjoying the adventure!!
I’m not sure why that recipe isn’t calling for 00 flour (didn’t read the article), but that’s what you should be using instead of all purpose.
So much depends on your dough. The recipe, the fermentation and how you open the dough. Check out this thread, it has helped me so much: https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=20479
i think your stone is too hot. try 430-450°C and reduce the flame after you put your pizza in the oven.
i think your crust is too dark.
edit:
don’t know, but your recipe doesn’t contain oil for the dough.
i usually go for:
1000g flour
650ml water
3g dry yeast
a bit sugar or honey, to start the yeast
30ml olive oil
10g salt (many people use 20-30g but i go with less)
u let it rest for at least 2 days. keep sure to take the dough out if the fridge long before baking. (usually 4h than split in balls and let em raise another hour)
Your stone is probably too hot. Try turning the flame down a bit to lower where the stone temp is levelling out and reduce the charring. You can always start turning the heat back up when you’ve had more practice.
The lack of spring in the crust could be underproofing. A good sign of this is (other than a lack of any significant air in the crust) is if the dough was difficult to stretch or is contracting a lot after stretching. I would guess the reason is not enough time at room temp before the cold proof.
I’d suggest trying a different dough recipe. A direct method rather than a cold proof will make it easier to get a feel for dough development. I also noticed that the recipe you linked called for a high protein all purpose flour. The hydration percentage may even be on the low side for an all purpose flour – contributing to a lack of steam for oven spring. You will get better results from a 00 pizza flour (e.g. Caputo pizzeria or 5 Stagioni).
I suggest PizzApp for anyone starting out. It will help you adjust proofing times for temperature.
Your stone is to hot for that type of stone. I would shoot for the stone to be 750-800f. Launch the pizza leave on high until the crust poofs up some then turn to low. A real Neapolitan pizza oven has a biscotto stone floor that releases energy slower.. that is way a Neapolitan pizza oven can run 900f.
need more info on the dough to be able to make suggestions.
The dough recipe looks fine. The amount of yeast is for the 1.5 days and the longer you let sit in CT the lower amount of yeast you have to use. You can use the PizzApp to help with that.
what are you raising the dough balls in and how do the dough balls look at time of stretching? I can not find any of your photos. How you stretch the dough is important on how much air is pushed to dough edge. What type of flour do you use to stretch the dough? Wrong type allows bottom to burn easy.
Are you dough balls made good? What size\ weight are they?
​
lots of factors.