Pizzanerd;
The Wrise product (fat encapsulated blend of baking soda and sodium aluminum phosphate) is very effective when combined with yeast in the dough formula. The yeast provides the dough conditioning and the flavor while the Wrise has very little reaction before going to the oven, so it then reacts, generating carbon dioxide to further leaven the dough. This is an effective way to make a T&B pizza that will still be able to rise in the oven, even after the consumer has abused the pizza beyond all reasonable expectations. For example, freezing of a T&B pizza is not a good thing for the consumer to do, but it does happen, and al too frequently, I might add. I know, I get calls from consumers asking me if they can do it. With just yeast as the leavening, these doughs/crusts typically fail to rise as much as would be desired, but with the Wrise in it, they will still rise to an acceptable height, making for a positive consumer experience with the product, rather than a disappointing one, besides, when the consumer brings the pizza back to you saying “It didn’t rise” what are you going to do? Admonish the consumer by saying they shouldn’t have abused the pizza in that way? Just read the label, it says do not freeze! Or, will you politely explain their wrong doing and give them another pizza? With the high cost of customers today, I know what I’d do. The Wrise just reduces the chances or frequency of this scenario taking place. Does it affect the flavor of the finished crust? Yes it does to some extent, yes, especially if too much is used. Typically, the higher sugar levels used in T&B doughs do a pretty good job of masking any of the flavors though. We demonstrated these types of doughs at our last pizza seminar and baked them off to evaluate the flavor, we all agreed that it was not the same as a yeast only leavened crust, but it was also agreed that it was not objectionable, it was just a little different. If you make a chemically leavened crust only, without any yeast, it will taste decidedly different and have a crumb structure more like that of pound cake than pizza crust, but that’s an entirely different product than we’re discussing here.
Tom Lehmann/the Dough Doctor
