Tom Lehman, Lloyd pans and hearth style finger config

[clownhair]

Hello Tom, I am thinking about purchasing a bundle of the lloyd hearth discs to replace my current pans and have seen you frequently talk about setting them up with a hearth style finger config to bake some great pizzas. I was wondering if you can give me an idea of how you have your oven set up to benefit from these discs? I am using an xlt 3255 oven currently. Your help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Tom_Lehmann]

CH;
Start with full open across the bottom. On top start with closed/blocked, open, open, closed/blocked.
Set the temperature at 470F and the conveyor speed at 4.75-minutes and go from there.
This profile may give you exactly what you want, or it may need to be tweaked a little due to differences in ovens, dough formulation, and cheese.
Note: When using this oven profile do not use any sugar, milk, or eggs in the dough formula. This profile works equally well for both thin and pan style pizzas.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

 

[Deacon_V]

Your dough and expectations for your finished product will dictate your final configuration. When we were figuring it out I made up at least a dozen cheese pizzas and would simply change up the time and the temp till we ended up with a pie that made me smile.

We bake with a XLT3255 also, and started pretty much where Tom suggests. We’ve ended up at 465 degrees for 6:15-6:25 and I have the top set at full open, 1/2 blocked, full blocked, and 1/2 blocked. The bottoms are full open, full open, 1/2 blocked, full open ( I think…I’ll have to recheck when we clean next).

My thoughts on the top fingers is it seems to give us a great initial blast of heat to start the baking…then I get a bit to keep it going on the next, and with the last, it seems to act as a final toasting of the cheese as that’s when it seems to brown off in spots just as I like.

We do bake off all three of our crust styles on the same speed and temps. We do a rolled out, “pub-style” crispy crust, a std. hand tossed, and a deep dish. The deep gets a pass with just cheese, then is dressed out to order, and sauced and goes one more trip. You’re going to love your XLT!