re-visiting a crispy bottom

Pizza Shop Talk The Think Tank
1

While I have read many posts regarding getting a crispy bottom on the pie, I still have not reached “acceptable” results. As many posts state, the pie goes “down hill” once it hits a box or even a pan due to the steam realeased from the bottom. Here is what we do… in a deck oven

we have pushed the h20 level to 64% (as suggested by Tom and others), we were running around 57%. the higher hydration definitely makes “handling” more difficult but I am willing to sacrifice “tossing exibitions” for an improved bottom crust. The finished product is coming out pretty good with an initial “crunch” but goes away fairly quickly and becomes quite chewey. there is a nice rise to this NY style and no gum line and a nice cornice.

50 lb bag (800 oz)
have backed off the sugar to 4oz
salt 1.75% 14 oz weighed
ady .0025 2oz weighed (could this be high?)
evoo 1.5% 12 oz weighed

baking around 500-525 depending on time of day and velocity of business. I tried going down to 475 for a longer bake hoping to achievce a crispier crust but the calzones and strombolis really struggled to get cooked on the inside and took an awful long time to finish. especially on busy nights.

any suggestions…thanks in advance

2

I would suggest increasing the yeast a bit.

3

PH;
I would suggest taking the sugar out entirely as it only serves to shorten the potential baking time. While you don’t mention anything about your dough management, you should be allowing the dough to slowly ferment in the cooler for 18 to 24-hours before getting into it.
If you want to go the max with getting a crispy pizza, take a look at my Chicago style thin crust formula in the RECIPE BANK. We have been playing with this one lately, and we found that when we par-baked it, then dressed the crust and finish baked it, we got a super crispy, not hard, just crispy crust that retained the crisp quite well.
In a DELCO operation, you should be using one of the plastic net type mats, or a ripple sheet under the pizza to help allow steam and moisture to escape from the pizza. Do make sure your boxes have vent holes in them too.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor