# How long should my pizza dough take to rise?



## rsilvergun (Apr 16, 2007)

Hi all, trying to learn to cook, and I picked pizza for my first 'real' food. I keep messing up the dough, though (there's a pun there somewhere...). Anyway, it comes up chewy and glumpy, instead of bread-like. My yeast seems to be proofing OK (I get the tan color on top). I'm not using the quick type yeast since the recipe doesn't call for it. I've been letting it rise for 60 to 90 minutes at a time and then chilling the dough balls. I have noticed the balls continue to rise after I put them in the fridge even after an hour and a half of rising, but all the recipes I have say 40 minutes to an hour, so I figured 90 would be plenty. I use all purpose white flour (unbleached, the organic brand Safeway Stores is carrying) and all purpose wheat flour. The recipe I was following is from here: BillyReisinger.com :: The Ridiculously Thorough Guide to Making Your Own Pizza. I'm in Arizona, but it's not particularly hot, or humid right now. I've been using a pizza stone, but it seems like it's cooking the bottom of the crust too fast, so I'm going to try a pizza screen too soon, but I wanted to get the dough right first. Should I just let it rise more, am I not kneeding it enough? I know I'm doing something wrong, I just don't know what


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## suzanne (May 26, 2001)

Maybe it's your oven/heat level? I'm pretty much a pizza novice myself, so I'm putting a copy of this question on the Baking board.


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## jayme (Sep 5, 2006)

rsilver- Pizza- to make sure I am understanding... you make your dough, allow it to rise (which it appears it is doing fine). Then you refrigerate it (yes, dough will rise in the fridge- in fact I have a recipe where you allow the dough to rise only in the fridge overnight)- question- why are you refrigerating it? after the first rise, the dough should be full and fluffy, - if it has falled and/or full of holes, you may be leaving it too long. After 1st rise, you can just punch dough down and then shape it and place on pizza stone. Add your toppings. It will rise again as it cooks. What temp are you cooking at? I usually cook mine at 450- 500deg. in the middle rack. Cook until browned and crust crispy.
Sounds like you are on track..... I'd say try it again, and post dough recipe if it doesn't work....


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## grumio (Apr 16, 2006)

Heat the pizza stone (500f for 20-30 min.) THEN slide the prepped pizza onto it.


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## damack (Feb 21, 2007)

i have worked at several pizza restrants, there we had a large oven that is a convayer belt but we cook the pizza at 450 for about 7min the pizza will rise more in the oven after it is tossed out onto a pan


also try the pizza stone they are helpfull too


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

You let it rise first, about twice the original size, then you roll it out. Put on the sauce/toppings/cheese and toss it in the oven.


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## cspurlock (Mar 26, 2011)

well when rising dough you need to at least let the dough rise for three hours the more it rises the more airy and fluffy the dough will be also if you use a high gluten flour which makes the dough streching and easier to work with!


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## granny smith (Jan 31, 2011)

I don't even let my pizza dough rise. I make the dough, knead it, divide it into portions for each pizza, let it rest 20 minutes (covered with a towel or piece of plastic wrap), form the crusts, slap 'em on a screen, top and bake at 500 deg.


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## jazzcook (Nov 23, 2010)

There is no one right answer, it all depends on what kind of crust you are going for...

Try this:  After the dough has risen for an hour or so, punch it down and then form into a tight, smooth ball.  Coat it with olive oil and refridgerate in a plastic ziplock bag for a day or two, and allow it to come to room temperature when you are going to make it. 

If the bottom is cooking too fast, your dough may be too dry, make it wetter next time.  Don't use a pizza screen, use a baking stone and cook it right on the stone.  Preheat the stone in your oven, maximum temp for at least a half hour minimum.  If your dough is too chewy it may have too much gluten development, this is a matter of how you are making your dough and how much you are kneading it...

Hope this helps!


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## piestone (Dec 12, 2012)

I had the same problem for many years and then finally discovered the solution by accident. It is absolutely vital to a good pie, in my experience, that it rises in room temp for an hour then is left in fridge for 24hours before use. Take out of fridge and allow it to warm to room temperature again before shaping it on the pan or stone. Stones with best.


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## thatchairlady (Feb 15, 2012)

Rise time depends on several factors.  My sister makes pizza nearly EVERY Friday night.  She buys yeast in bulk at one of the warehouse stores... and shares with me.  A pint mason jar of dry yeast lasts a LONG time.  I keep mine in Freezer (it never gets solid) and just dip some out when I want it.  I can easily have it a year before any noticeable change in rise time starts to happen.

She uses a bread machine... just dumps everything in and sets to mix/rise.  I use KA stand mixer.  I start with 1/2 to 1 cup of warm water (around 110 degrees)... cup will easily produce TWO good pized pizzas.  I usually fill bowl up with HOT water and dump out before warm water for yeast... 110 degree water could lose a LOT of temp in a matter of seconds when dumped into a COLD bowl... and my kitchen is always COLD in winter.  I add a heaping T of yeast... really have no idea if it's "fast" or "dry active"??... and let it sit for 5 minutes or so while I gather everything else.  As long as yeast is starting to foam after 5 minutes or so, I go on with dough.  I put in a pinch of salt, and a glug of GOOD olive oil and maybe a cup or so of AP flour... dough hook.  Add flour a little at a time (so it doesn't fly all over ya) until dough pulls away from side of bowl.  I let it knead by machine for 3-4 minutes on low.  Liberal glug of GOOD olive oil in bottom of LARGE bowl.  Dough dumped in and rolled around to coat... covered with towel or plastic warm... then to warm place to rise... oven preheated to LOWEST temp and then turned OFF... usually well poofed in about 30-40 minutes. 

I preheat oven as high as it will go... 550, I think.  I have a pizza stone but prefer a Calphalon pan with the holes all over bottom.I've come to prefer baking on this pan on a sheet of parchment.  Maybe 15 minutes.  I'd love to have bubbly yet gooey cheese like boardwalk pizza, but mine usually browns some... maybe you need a real pizza oven with super high temp to get that??


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## maryb (Mar 21, 2008)

The type of cheese used makes the difference in how it melts. Fresh mozz is best for quick melting and really stringy results. Pre-grated cheese is dry and won't get as runny and tends to brown faster for me. I put my pizza stone on the lowest rack of the oven and preheat an hour (my stone is 3/4 inch thick, takes longer). Form crust, top and bake until crust starts to get a little char on the bottom. Being lower in the oven gives the toppings more time to cook so the crust can cook longer.


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