The process of proofing pizza dough consists of a two-step process, the bulk fermentation (rising), followed by proofing each individual pizza dough ball. But of course, you still need to make the dough, knead it and make dough balls.
After the dough has rested, turn it out onto a very lightly floured work surface and knead it by hand about 20-30 times. (If your dough has the perfect consistency, you don't even need to flour the surface.)
A lot of people think that kneading is just for show or that it's just a way of combining the ingredients, but the process of kneading is actually essential to achieving the perfect pizza dough.
While you're still in the kneading stage, you can tell if your dough is under-kneaded if it's floppy and loose, tears easily, and still looks shaggy. (Essentially, the opposite of all the signs of fully kneaded dough.)
Though it's important to knead your dough thoroughly, it's not necessary to knead your dough for long. We recommended kneading your dough for about 4 to 6 minutes! Over-kneading your dough will create a fine, crumb-like texture, giving your dough a bready texture rather than a light and airy pizza crust.
Let rest at room temperature until the dough doubles in size, 1 to 2 hours. Or, if time is tight, let it rest at least 20 minutes before proceeding. Or refrigerate for several hours, deflating if necessary if it threatens to burst the plastic.
How long does proofing pizza dough take? The minimum amount of required proofing time is 24 hours. A 48-hour proof is a better option, and a 72-hour proof is ideal.
The longer you knead the dough, the less sticky it will become. Strangely, if you do not rehydrate your yeast correctly this can also result in a sticky dough. Active dry yeast needs to be rehydrated with warm water to activate it correctly and cause it to bloom.
It won't be a perfect pizza dough by any means as the kneading process is what helps to develop the gluten but it will be less tough and chewy when it comes to eating it.
Can pizza dough be over proofed? Well yes, pizza dough can be over proofed. In the most extreme cases, over proofed dough can lead to a dense and tough dough that makes poor quality pizza.
This process allows the yeast to ferment which adds to the flavour and texture. Pizza needs this proof to fill the dough with small bubbles of carbon dioxide.
Yes. After the first rise, you can knead the dough lightly to remove some gas that causes air bubbles. This step is ideal if you want your dough to be flat and dense or if you want bread with a close crumb, like sourdough. If you prefer sourdough with an open crumb, just knead the dough lightly.
Dough Degassing After First Rise
The goal is to deflate it with a couple of pushes with your fist straight down, then straight back up. Don't twist! Punching is essential because it releases the built-up CO2 gas, redistributes the yeast so it can find new food sources, and equalizes the dough temperature.
Under kneading causes a lack of strength and stretchiness in the pizza dough. The dough will tear easily when stretched and will not hold it's shape as well as a fully kneaded dough.
Cook's Illustrated says to make cold water doughs for bread and pizza recipes because they benefit from long, slow, yeasted rises. The cold water maintains the gluten structure that traps gasses produced by the yeast and adds flavor to the bread.
If your pizza dough is quickly snapping back or difficult to stretch, your dough is too tight. Cover your dough with plastic wrap and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. After a bit of rest, the gluten in the dough will relax, making the process of stretching much easier.
You can put the dough in a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap, wrap the entirety of the dough in plastic wrap, or simply place it in a sealed plastic bag or airtight container.
When ready to use, let the dough sit out on the countertop for 30 minutes to warm up before stretching. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. As you can see, it will rise a bit.
Doughs that are shaped and proofed after a slow, cold fermentation demonstrate noticeably better flavor and better structure.
Step 1: Perform the fingertip test to make sure your dough is overproofed. The test involves gently pressing your finger into the surface of the dough for 2 seconds and then seeing how quickly it springs back. The dent you make will be permanent if the dough is overproofed.
Although a single-rise dough will not have the same complex flavor as a double-rise dough, it will still be fluffy and light. So, does pizza dough have to rise twice? The answer is no, but rising the dough twice does produce a tastier crust.
Refrigerating a pizza dough before and after it rises is always the preferred option by many baking experts. What is this? A slow dough-rising process helps create flavorful compounds and crusty yet fluffy textures. Storing your pizza dough in the refrigerator and freezer helps extend its shelf life.
Under Kneading
It is a tell-tale sign of not enough kneading if your bread dough cannot hold its shape or acts listless and fails to inflate. Instead of rising, the dough will spread out flat. The dough may even fall back onto itself and collapse as the gases produced by the yeast escapes.