How do we keep the dough consistent?

[CM1424]

We have started leaving the dough open in the pizza pans out at room temp to help them rise but now that the weather is getting colder here in the Northeast they don’t rise as well. Any ideas how we can get them fluffy like they get in the hot humid summer months? Feel like if they don’t rise enough they stay gummy. Help…

 

[durbancic]

You may need to use warmer water when making your dough if the temperature is colder in the shop.
Another option, but wouldn’t be my preferred is to use a bit more yeast. How much yeast and what kind do you use in your dough now?

 

[CM1424]

You may need to use warmer water when making your dough if the temperature is colder in the shop.
Another option, but wouldn’t be my preferred is to use a bit more yeast. How much yeast and what kind do you use in your dough now?

We use block yeast and about 1/3 of the block to 50lbs of flour.

 

[CM1424]

Recipe is 12 qts water, 1 cup salt, 2 cups sugar, 1/3 block yeast, 50 lbs flour and he said he pours the oil in and counts to 6 while its pouring in LOL I guess eye balls it.

 

[Daddio]

Recipe is 12 qts water, 1 cup salt, 2 cups sugar, 1/3 block yeast, 50 lbs flour and he said he pours the oil in and counts to 6 while its pouring in LOL I guess eye balls it.

When is the oil being added? It should be added after all the dry ingredients have absorbed the water. If added before the oil will cause the absorption to be inconsistent.

 

[CM1424]

When is the oil being added? It should be added after all the dry ingredients have absorbed the water. If added before the oil will cause the absorption to be inconsistent.

oil is added first with water and block yeast. What is the benefit of adding oil last?

 

[Daddio]

oil is added first with water and block yeast. What is the benefit of adding oil last?

When you add the oil before the dry ingredients the oil will block the hydration of the flour. This is often the cause of inconsistent dough. I have heard @Tom Lehmann The Dough Doctor give this advise every time I have been to an event where he is speaking.

The process that is recommended is mix everything except the oil until there is nothing that is still dry then add the oil and finish mixing until the dough is at the desired state. My process is to mix all the ingredients except the oil at the lowest speed for 3 minutes then add the oil and speed up the mixer and run for another 5 minutes.

Other factors in making consistent dough include:
using a temperature formula so your dough ends up at the same finished temperature
weighing all ingredients and using bakers percentages to insure proportions are consistant

 

[CM1424]

Can anyone tell me the bakers proportions? I cannot figure that out lol. If i make a 50lb bag of flour dough what are the measurements for yeast, oil, and water? I use block yeast. Some days my pizzas are fluffy other days they don’t rise good and the middle is flat and gummy. Very frustrating. PS we make greek style pan pizza in a conveyor oven. Please tell me either ounces or cups the percents confuse me

 

[Daddio]

Can anyone tell me the bakers proportions? I cannot figure that out lol. If i make a 50lb bag of flour dough what are the measurements for yeast, oil, and water? I use block yeast. Some days my pizzas are fluffy other days they don’t rise good and the middle is flat and gummy. Very frustrating. PS we make greek style pan pizza in a conveyor oven. Please tell me either ounces or cups the percents confuse me

Bakers proportions are simply a ratio of ingredients based on the weight of the ingredient compared to the weight of the flour used. using your recipe from above and converting all volumes to weight:

Flour 50lbs = 100%
Water 12 qts = 24lbs = 24/50 =48%
Salt 1 cup = 0.6lbs = 0.6/50 = 1.2%
Sugar 2 cups = 0.87 lbs = 0.87/50 = 1.74%
Yeast 1/3 block = 0.33lbs = 0.33/50 = 0.66%
Oil 2 cups = 0.97lbs = 0.97/50 = 1.94%
​

With these numbers you can scale the recipe for consistency. Since not all 50lb bags of flour contain exactly 50lbs you weight the flour and then figure out the rest of the weights from that. Lets say your flour is actually 54lbs to find the weights of the rest of the ingredients your just use the percentages as follows:

Flour 54 x 100% = 54lbs
Water = 54 x 48% = 25.92lbs
Salt = 54 x 1.2% = 0.648lbs = 10.37oz
Sugar = 54 x 1.74% = 0.87lbs = 13.92oz
Yeast = 54 x 0.66% = 0.356lbs = 5.84oz
Oil = 54 x 1.94% = 1.048lbs = 23.68oz (note this is a weight not a volume)
​

I hope this helps.