dough

[db3000]

after u let the dough set 24 hour take it out of thhe cooler and let it get to room temp.then u start opening the balls,and putting them on screens do u wrap them back up and place i cooler? if so how long are the skinks good for?and after u put them back in the cooler do u have to let the skins warm back up? tx.

 

[Tom_Lehmann]

For the most part, there is no need to allow the dough balls to come to room temperature after removing them from the cooler. Just allow them to temper AT room temperature for about 2-hours. The time may vary somewhat due to dough ball weight and room temperature, and to some extent the dough formulation, but in most cases, 2 to 2.5 hours seems to work pretty well. After this time, the dough temperature is in the 50 to 55F range. You should then be able to begin opening the dough into skins for immediate use or for refrigerated storage (use later in the day). If you’re opening the dough for immediate use, the dough will remain good to use for about three hours after you begin opening it. Just be sure to keep it covered at all times or it will dry out and get crusted over rather quickly. Along these lines, if you’re opening the dough for immediate use, and you still have some unused dough balls going into the end of the 3-hour use period, or you’re past the rush, and going into a slow period, just open the dough balls into skins and place them onto pizza screens in a wire tree rack in the cooler. Leave the rack uncovered for about 30-minutes, then cover with a suitable plastic bag or rack cover to prevent drying. The skins will hold very well until the next use period during the same day. They do not hold well over night. To use the pre-opened skins, just remove from the cooler, allow to temper AT room temperature for about 20-minutes, and you’re ready to go. If you get a special order, and can’t wait the 20-minutes for the dough skins to temper, just place them in a warm area (warming shelf works great) for about 5-minutes and you should be good to go.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

 

[pizzasource]

Tom,

Once you open the dough balls into skins and place them on screens and then onto a wire rack: what is the best way to keep them covered so that they don’t dry out. Can you simply cover the rack with a plastic bag or should you use one of the wire rack covers that are available for purchase?

 

[Tom_Lehmann]

Take yer pick. I think if I was doing this on a regular basis, as a part of my dough management procedure, I would have a large rack on wheels in the cooler to hold the pre-opened dough skins, and in that case I would invest in one of the better heavy weight plastic rack covers, but if we’re talking about just managing a few left over dough balls (20, or so) and putting them ont a couple wire racks places on a shelf in the walk in, I’d probably be tempted to go with a suitable plastic bag to cover the rack(s) and reusing them as many times as possible.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor