IES990544A2

IES990544A2 - Apparatus for forming a pizza dough into a rimmed pizza shape

Info

Publication number: IES990544A2
Application number: IE19990544A
Authority: IE
Inventors: Gene Mcgillicuddy; Jacinta Darmon
Original assignee: Billcrest Products Ltd
Priority date: 1998-06-29
Filing date: 1999-06-29
Publication date: 2001-05-02
Also published as: IE990542A1; GB9915145D0; WO2000000035A1; IES990543A2; GB2340023B; GB2340023A; EP1094714A1; AU4642899A

Abstract

A ball of pizza dough is placed in each recess (5) of a tray (1). A release agent is applied and the ball is tamped into a partially flattened shape. The tamped dough is proved and then pressed in a first stage pressing. The pressed dough is proved and finally pressed into a rimmed pizza shape in a final stage pressing. The rimmed pizza dough base thus formed then undergoes final proving in two stages prior to baking and de-panning.

Description

ABSTRACT “Apparatus for forming a pizza dough into a rimmed pizza shape” A ball of pizza dough is placed in each recess (5) of a tray (1). A release agent is applied and the ball is tamped into a partially flattened shape. The tamped dough is proved and then pressed in a first stage pressing. The pressed dough is proved and finally pressed into a rimmed pizza shape in a final stage pressing. The rimmed pizza dough base thus formed then undergoes final proving in two stages prior to baking and de-panning.

Claims

1. Apparatus for forming a pizza dough into a rimmed pizza shape having a raised side edge, the apparatus comprising a tray to receive a pre-pressed pizza dough and a forming means to form the pre-pressed dough into a rimmed pizza shape; the tray having at least one section with a base, a side wall extending upwardly from the base and defining a central recess, the tray having an upper outwardly extending rim; the dough forming means comprising a damming ring for engaging the rim of the tray and a plug means which is slidably movable relative to the damming ring; the tray and plug means being of complementary shape to provide a pathway for pressed dough to form into a pizza shape with a raised side edge; the plug means including a dough engaging lower face and a side wall extending upwardly from the dough engaging lower face, the side wall having a dough engaging lower section and an upper damming ring engaging section for sealing engagement with the damming ring; and the damming ring having a flat tray rim engaging lower portion for flat sealing engagement with the tray rim.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein, on forming, the rim ratio of the height of the tray sidewall to the rim thickness defined between the dough IE990544 -14engaging lower section of the side wall of the plug means and the side wall of the tray is at least 3:1, preferably at least 4:1, preferably from 4:1 to 5:1.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein, on forming, the base ratio of the height of the tray sidewall to the base thickness defined between the dough engaging lower face of the plug means and the base of the tray section is at least 4:1, preferably at least 5:1, preferably approximately 6:1.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the lower portion of the damming ring has an inner cut-away to define together with the dough engaging lower section of the plug side wall, a dough rim receiving recess which is at least partially filled with dough on pressing of the plug into the tray, preferably the inner cut-away of the damming ring is of curvilinear shape to define a portion of the dough rim receiving recess, preferably the inner cut-away of the damming ring is of arcuate shape extending upwardly from the tray rim engaging face, preferably the dough engaging lower section of the plug side wall comprises an outwardly and upwardly inclined portion leading into a transition portion to the upper damming ring engagement portion, preferably the transition portion defines a portion of the dough rim receiving recess, preferably the transition portion defines together with the cut-away of the damming ring a substantially continuous arcuate dough receiving recess for receiving an upper edge of the pizza dough rim.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 wherein the tray comprises a plurality of tray sections, each for receiving dough for forming into a rimmed pizza shape, preferably the tray comprises a planar upper wall in which the central recesses are formed, the upper wall defining the rim for each recess, preferably the tray includes a side wall extending downwardly from the upper wall, preferably the apparatus includes a tray support for supporting the tray, the tray and tray support having locator means for IE990544 -15accurately locating the tray relative to the tray support, preferably the locator means comprises at least two spaced-apart locator pins on one or other of the tray and tray support for engagement with a corresponding recess in the other of the tray and tray support, preferably the locator pins 5 are tapered to facilitate alignment with the locator holes, preferably the locator holes are provided in the tray and the locator pins are provided in the tray support, preferably the plug means has a plurality of air outlets in a lower dough engaging face thereof, preferably the lower face of the plug is at least partially of porous metal, preferably the porous metal has an average pore size of from 10 to 50 microns. IE990544 ο 2/ίο IE99O544 /£ ΙΕ990544 ισ> 3/ιο