Sunday, June 17, 2012

Pizza Experiment #6

In which I become a mad scientist.

I have done variations on experiment 5, none of which were truly worth noting.  While making those variations, the thought of attempting a beer batter variant occurred to me.  Problem is, neither my husband or I drink beer.  However, there is this hard cider that has been sitting in the back of the fridge, just awaiting my realization that it wanted to be pizza crust.

I did finally come to agree with my husband that the dough is consistently lacking the kick of butter.  I have been trying to avoid putting butter on after the fact because it is a hassle, and messy.  So, instead , I have swapped out the Olive Oil for butter.  But then I was all like... butter?  Feh, I got this fancy new stuff Chef Robert Browned Butter Garlic and I want to experiment with THAT!

While I am at it, I shall rearrange the writing of the recipe to more accurately reflect the creation process.

So... here is the concoction that is

Pizza Experiment #6

1/2 c. warm water (100-105 degrees)
1 T. dry active yeast
1 t. brown sugar (for the yeast)

Combine 1/4 c. water with yeast and sugar. Stir to dissolve the yeast, set aside until foamy (about 5-10 minutes) 

2 c. flour
1/2 c. Woodchuck Hard Cider (Granny Smith was used this time)
2 T. Chef Robert Browned Butter Garlic (or butter... probably)
2 t.  Russell's Original Spice Blend (or Salt- though a little less salt to compensate)
2 generous pinches of. Corn meal (for spreading dough)

  1. Mix cider, melted butter garlic (making sure the temperature doesn't go over 105)
  2. Add flour, salt, yeast mixture to the cider, butter mix.
  3. Preheat the oven at 425˚
  4. Knead for a few minutes until doughy.  
  5. Move to a bowl sprayed with olive oil (to prevent sticking), cover with loose plastic wrap and let stand for 10-15 minutes.
  6. Dust parchment paper with corn meal, and spread the dough out on parchment.  
  7. Add desired toppings.
  8. Slide the pizza onto the pizza stone using the parchment for a smooth transition.
  9. Bake at 425˚ for around 10 minutes- until cheese is just turning golden. 
RESULTS
No picture today, but this was by far the best crust I have made to date.  The flavor was fantastic!  The texture was great!  I look forward to trying this one again- changing out the cider for other liquids... like Coca Cola, or some sort of beer.


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