Pizza Dough

When it comes to baking I used to be very cautious when it came to making things with yeast. Bread, rolls, pizza dough, and cinnamon rolls, they can all be very sensitive because they are made with yeast. Those who are experience with yeast and making things like bread have said to me, “Oh you’re kidding it’s so easy!”, but unlike them I have had flat bread before!

 

So lets talk a little about how yeast works, when it is combined with the other ingredients enzymes in the yeast and the flour cause large starch molecules to break down into simple sugars. The yeast metabolizes these simple sugars and exudes a liquid that releases carbon dioxide and ethyl alcohol into existing air bubbles in the dough.

I have learned that pizza dough is one of the simplest yeast dough you can make, I have also learned that you should never try to stretch out your pizza dough when it is cold.

 

Now this recipe only has 5 ingredients and in my opinion it is best to be made with a kitchen aid. Though I like the old-fashioned way of doing things kneading and punching a yeast dough isn’t really my idea of fun baking. Also I doubled this recipe because I was making 4 medium-sized pizzas.

So here it is..

1 package active dry yeast

1 cup warm water (not hot it will kill the yeast if it is to hot)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Pour warm water into the bowl of your stand mixer, sprinkle in yeast and allow to sit until it is dissolved and bubbles form.

Add sugar, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Mix on slow/medium speed until smooth. Gradually add in the remaining flour and mix at medium speed for about 6 minutes. (Dough should clean most of excess off the sides of the bowl)

Remove bowl from stand mixer and cover with a clean kitchen towel, allow to rise about 40 minutes. Dough should be doubled in size.

Bake your stretched out dough with your favorite pizza toppings at 400 *F for 15 to 20 minutes.