GB2228661A - Process for making a pizza base - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for making a pizza base comprising the steps of: (a) applying to a baking surface - for example a tray or pan - a predetermined amount of oil; (b) forming the portion of dough into the required shape and placing it onto the pan or tray; (c) leavening the dough in the pan or tray; and (d) baking the dough in the pan or tray and also:- (i) the oil may be applied with a predetermined amount of water, the two being applied separately or simultaneously in an emulsion; (ii) there may be applied to the surface of the dough portion a predetermined amount of oil or oil and water, optionally as an emulsion; (iii) there may be used a pan mounted on a tray to bake the dough.

Description

PROCESS FOR MAKING A PIZZA BASE The invention relates to processes for making a pizza base.

According to the broadest aspect, the invention provides a method of making a pizza base from a portion of dough mixture, the method comprising the steps of: a) Applying to a baking surface - for example a tray or pan - a predetermined amount of oil; b) Forming the portion of dough into the required shape and placing it onto the pan or tray; c) Leavening the dough in the pan or tray; and d) Baking the dough in the pan or tray.

Preferably, before the dough is placed into the pan or tray, a predetermined amount of water may be sprayed onto the tray. The water may be sprayed onto the pan or tray simultaneously with the oil.

Before the dough is baked, it may be covered by a lid for the tray or pan.

Once it has been placed in the pan or tray, the dough may preferably be sprayed with oil, or with oil and water.

Background to the Invention Pizza bases are conventionally made in the following way: Ingredients Flour, water, salt, yeast, fat emulsion, vinegar and a fat based bread improver are mixed on a spiral mixer. This hydrates the starch in the flour and developes the wheat, flour gluten which is a protein found in flour.

The improver contains an oxidant (ascorbic acid) which rapidly changes the sulphide and disulphide bonds in the flour, thus the dough will not need a long time for the yeast to ferment in the dough. Salt gives the dough stability and flavour, plus being a fermentation regulator. Fat from the fat emulsion and bread improver assist in shortening the dough, giving a better eating quality. It also helps the pizza base from staling too rapidly and also improves the final baked crumbs structure and baked colour.

The sucrose and glucose contained in the fat emulsion and flour improver are yeast foods, allowing the yeast to ferment at a controlled rate turning the enzymically broken down sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas.

Yeast is present to produce the carbon dioxide gas which allows the gluten (protein) structure to be stretched and expanded, giving a cellular crumb structure. Water hydrates the flour and makes a dough possible. Vinegar is a natural mould inhibitor which reduces the pH of the dough, which will prevent mould growth.

Mixing This can be done on most bakery equipment either spiral, high speed, planetary or twin or single armed. It is not vital what type of mixer is used, as long as a well developed dough is formed.

Dough Dividing and Moulding - Deep and Crusty The dough can be divided and moulded by hand or any bakery divider/moulder which gives a consistent weight and a good mould, e.g. making a piece of dough into a ball.

After moulding time is given for the gluten to release and then the dough is pinned (flattened) by hand or machine into a round flat disc.

Sheeting - Thin and Crispy The dough is conveyed to a sheeting head (two large rollers) which reduces the dough into a thin sheet. The dough is cut into circular discs after cooking (making small regularly spaced holes through the dough sheet).

Proving Either method of production requires the flattened dough pieces to be placed onto trays, pans or foils. Then placed into a prover.

A prover is an insulated metal box which produces heat and steam at a required degree to suit the product. The humidity and heat allow the yeast to reproduce producing carbon dioxide and alcohol.

This gas production swells the bread due to the gluten/starch structure. Gluten is elastic. When enough gas has been produced the dough will be of a certain height, depending on the recipe used. Humidity in the prover prevents skins from forming on the dough surface, e.g. will mean cracks on the crust when baked.

Baking Once the dough has reached the correct gassed state e. g. height, the dough is baked in an oven with a good heat distribution throughout. The dough will expand slightly until the yeast has been killed by the heat of the oven. Any other enzymic changes will also stop as the temperature rises.

Starch from the flour is gelatinised at 65-86 "C which forms the internal crumb structure of the bread. The outside of the bread takes on colour due to mallard reactions due to sugars in the dough and some caramelisation. Then the process is complete except for cooking of the product.

In accordance with the invention, and by way of examples only of specific processes which can embody the invention, pizza bases were made using the following ingredients and method steps: Pizzas: Thin and Crispy/Deep and Crusty.

Process: Thin & Crispy - A tight yeasted dough, made using the Activated Dough Development System, is sheeted out using standard bakery processing equipment into a thin, continuous sheet of even thickness dough.

The dough is then dockered by means of a rotating spiked roller to prevent tensions in the dough piece. After docking the dough is cut out to 240 mm discs. The scrape from the dough sheet is conveyed back to the size reduction rollers.

Specially designed trays with pans are pre-sprayed with a water in oil emulsion at a predetermined amount to coat the total pan which is mounted on the tray.

The dough pieces are then dropped into the greased pans.

After depositing the dough pieces, a predetermined amount of oil is sprayed onto the dough pieces. The size of the pizza base is slightly larger than the pan to give a rim.

After greasing, lids with a depression are placed over the pans.

The trays are then put into a proving cabinet with heat and humidity set to allow the yeasted dough to expand by means of carbon dioxide gas production. The lid has been designed to allow the pizza dough to only expand up to 5-6 mm in height.

When the required height has been attained the trays are loaded into an oven where they are baked to a light brown colour.

After baking the trays are withdrawn and cooled rapidly to handleable temperature. Stacked and held in chill until ready to top with the necessary ingredients.

Deep & Crusty A soft, well developed yeast dough is made using the Activated Dough Development System of breadmaking.

After mixing the dough is divided and moulded using conventional breadmaking equipment. Once moulded it is allowed a rest period to soften the gluten so that it may be pinned out. The dough pieces are pinned out to give a flat, round piece of dough which will fit into specially designed pans, mounted onto trays, giving a slight rim.

Prior to depositing into the pans, a spray of a predetermined quantity of water in oil emulsion is sprayed into each pan.

Then the dough piece is dropped into the pan. The dough is then sprayed with another predetermined quantity of the water in oil emulsion and a lid fitted over the pan. The pan lid is designed to give an outer rim with a central depression and an overall thickness of 12-12 mm depth to the pizza base.

After lidding, the trays are proved in a proving cabinet to allow the yeasted dough to expand due to carbon dioxide gas product, by means of the cabinet being heated and steam produced.

After attaining the desired height the trays are then baked to give a golden brown pizza base.

After baking the pizza bases are allowed to cool down rapidly to a handleable temperature. After cooling they are chilled down in order to be topped with the required ingredients.

Pan Dimensions - Thin and Crispy 9" Bottom pan - 242 mm top inner, 245 mm top outer 223 mm bottom inner, 245 mm bottom outer 12 mm depth Bottom - 248 mm outer, 250 mm top outer 223 mm inside 12 mm rim all around the lid.

Thin and Crispy 12 Base - 310 mm top outer , 308 mm top inner 234 mm bottom inner, 308 mm bottom outer 15 mm depth Lid - 315 mm inner outer 287 mm inside 15 mm rim all around Deep and Crusty 9" Base - 247 mm outer, 243 mm inner 243 mm bottom outer, 225 mm bottom inner 20 mm depth Lid - 252 mm outer, 249 mm inner 212 mm inside 18 mm rim 12" scaled @ 250g baked = 230g 9" scaled @ 175g baked = 140g Thin and Crispy Ingredients Kg Grams t Wheatflour (Sovereign ex.

Allied Mills) 64 000 66.7 Salt (PVD ex.

British Salt) 1 200 1.3 Shortening (Masterfat 'V') 1 500 1.6 hydrogenated ex. vegetable oil, water, British glucose, Tunnel emulsifier E471 Refineries Bread Improver (Primrose, vegetable 650 0.7 ex. fat, E300, sucrose Essaress Puratos Vinegar 12% Spirit Vinegar 500 0.5 (United Yeast Co.) high activity 1-5Kg to 2 000 2.1 Water 25-26Kg 27.1 Oil Emulsion ex. Croda Roll Off 4-6g/base 9" M.S 6-8g/base 12" Deep and Crusty 9" scaled @ 190g baked = 170g Ingredients Supplier Description Kg grams % Wheatflour Allied Mills Sovereign (untreated, unbleached) 64 - 000 Salt British Salt P V D 1 - 000 Bread Improver Essaress Primrose 1 - 000 Puratos (vegetable fat, ascorbic acid,E3000, Sucrose) Shortening British Masterfat V 750 Masterfat S (hydrogentated vegetable oil, water, glucose, emulsifier E471) Vinegar Manor (12% spirit) 500 Vinegar Yeast United Yeast Co. Fresh, 2-2.5 Kg compressed (high activity) Water 36-38 Kg Roll Off MS Oil Emulsion Croda Water in oil emulsion 4-6g/base

Claims (3)

1. CLAIMS: 1. A method for making a pizza base comprising the steps of: (a) applying to a baking surface - for example a tray or pan - a predetermined amount of oil; (b) forming the portion of dough into the required shape and placing it onto the pan or tray; (c) leavening the dough in the pan or tray; and (d) baking the dough in the pan or tray and characterised by at least one of the following features: (i) the oil is applied with a predetermined amount of water, the two being applied separately or simultaneously in an emulsion; (ii) the application to the surface of the dough portion, in a pan, a predetermined amount of oil and water, the application being made separately or as an emulsion; (iii) the use of a tray and pan, i.e. effectively a double pan, in which to bake the dough.
2. 2. A method for preparing a pizza base according to Claim 1 in which water is used and characterised by the fact that water and/or the oil is sprayed onto the baking surface.
3. 3. A method for preparing a pizza base according to Claims 1 and 2 in which the dough, before it is baked, is covered by a lid.