cold fermentation

Good things come to those who wait, and pizza dough is certainly no exception!Cold-proving or cold rising is a technique that slows down the fermentation process by placing the dough inside your fridge as it ferments, allowing the yeast to work on the sugars in the flour for a long period of time.A 24- to 72-hour prove time helps the dough to develop a complex structure, creating a deeper flavor and added texture. Shaping the dough into balls while they’re cold also prevents excess air from escaping, resulting in beautifully bubbly crusts when cooked. Although it requires a bit of forward planning, the technique itself is super simple, and the results are well worth the wait. Just mix the ingredients together, then pop the pizza dough in the fridge and let the yeast work its magic!&nbsp;This recipe is very similar to our&nbsp;Classic Pizza Dough, with simply the quantity of yeast adjusted for cold-proving.Makes 4 x 12” (30cm) pizzas (equivalent to 4x 250g dough balls), or 3x 16” (40cm) pizzas (equivalent to 3 x 330g dough balls)Preparation: 29 h 40 min

Cold-Prove Pizza Dough

12.8 oz (364 grams) cold water

tsp (18 grams) salt

yeast

Prepare the pizza doughPlace two-thirds of the water in a large bowl. In a saucepan or microwave, bring the other third of water to boil, then add it to the cold water in the bowl. This creates the correct temperature for activating yeast. Whisk the salt and yeast into the warm water.

Mixing and kneading - by handPlace the flour in a large bowl and pour the yeast mixture into it. Stir with a wooden spoon until a dough starts to form. Continue mixing by hand until the dough comes together in a ball. Turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead with both hands for about 10 minutes, until it is firm and stretchy. Return the dough to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap (cling film).

Mixing and kneading - using a mixerFit the mixer with the dough hook and place the flour in the mixer bowl. Turn the machine on at a low speed and gradually add the yeast mixture to the flour. Once combined, leave the dough to keep mixing to at the same speed for 5-10 minutes, or until the dough is firm and stretchy.Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap (cling film).

Cold prove the pizza doughPlace the covered pizza dough in the fridge to cold prove for 24 to 72 hours. When the dough has roughly doubled in size, remove the dough from the fridge.

Second proveDivide the cold-proved pizza dough into 3 or 5 equal pieces, depending on what size you want your pizzas to be (either 12 inches or 16 inches wide). Shape each piece into a ball, and place each pizza dough ball in a separate bowl or tray. Cover with cling film and leave to rise for 5 hours on your kitchen bench, so that they can come up to room temperature and double in size.

Stretching the pizza doughOnce the second prove is complete, you’re ready to stretch out your pizza bases!Place the ball on a lightly floured surface, flour your hands and use your fingertips to press the dough into a small, flat disc. Working from the center, push the dough outwards while spreading  your fingers, making the disc slightly bigger. Pick up the dough and gently pinch it all around the edge, allowing gravity to pull it downwards into a 12”/16” circle. Neapolitan-style pizza bases are very thin, so you should be able to see through the base when you hold it up to the light. Take care when doing this – you don’t want it to tear.Once the dough is fully stretched, lightly flour your pizza peel and lay the base on it. If at this point you see any small holes in the dough, gently pinch them back together. Once you’re happy with the base, add your toppings and bake in your Ooni pizza oven!

My go-to 72 hour pizza dough recipe is flexible enough for either an outdoor oven or a home oven and uses a slow, cold fermentation method to yield better flavor and texture.

72 Hour Pizza Dough

686 g 00 High-Protein Flour (like Antimo Caputo | 100%)

g Salt

Instant yeast (0.12%)

olive oil

Semolina Flour (for dusting)

Mix the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine 686 g 00 High-Protein Flour, 20 g Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, and 1/4 teaspoon Instant yeast with a wooden spoon.

Add the wet ingredients: Form a shallow well with your fist in the center of the bowl. Slowly pour in 425 g Lukewarm water and 8 g Extra-virgin olive oil (if using). Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with your hands or the spoon until just combined. Continue kneading until the dough is lumpy and shaggy, but no dry bits remain, about 1 - 2 minutes.

Autolyse: Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Stretch and fold: Perform three sets of stretch and folds, each separated by a 30-minute rest period. Perform each stretch and fold by gently pulling one side of the dough up and over to the opposite side. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat until you’ve folded all sides. For more details, please check out the How To section of my post.Stretch and Fold #1: Perform the first stretch and fold, then rest, covered, for 30 minutes.Stretch and Fold #2: Perform 30 minutes after stretch and fold #1, then rest, covered, for 30 minutes.Stretch and Fold #3: Perform 30 minutes after stretch and fold #2, then rest, covered, for 30 minutes. Note: After the final rest, the dough should feel quite strong (it will resist stretching slightly) and show visible gas bubbling. If you’re not seeing this gas bubbling, let sit out for another hour or so until you observe this.

Chill: Cover dough with plastic wrap (or transfer to an airtight container) and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 24 hours (up to 72 hours).

Divide and Proof: On the day you plan to make the pizza, remove the dough from the fridge.Divide dough into 5 equal sections. Form each piece of dough into a ball, then place in a large container generously dusted with flour or oil. Alternatively, you can place each ball into an individual container (sometimes I use deli containers or a plate).Cover and proof for at least 3 - 5 hours until the dough has reached room temperature, expanded in size, and appears bubbly and soft.

Prepare the Dough:

45 minutes before pizza dough is at room temperature, arrange oven racks to prepare for baking and preheat your oven to the highest temperature. For me, this temperature is 600℉ / 315℃.There are two main methods of cooking your pizza in the oven. I recommend trying both and seeing which method produces the best pizza for you (see &#39;Launch and Bake&#39; section for full details on each method):1 - Top rack method: For this method, place your baking tool of choice (steel or stone) on the top rack of the oven, about 5 - 6 inches from the broiler. 2 -  Switching racks method: Place your baking tool of choice over a rack set on the bottom-third of the oven. Place the top rack 5 - 6 inches from the broiler.

Prep the Oven (Standard Home Oven Method):

For a portable outdoor pizza oven (Ooni or Roccbox), preheat the oven at least 30 minutes prior to baking the pizzas. I typically preheat my oven to 900℉ / 482℃.

Prep the Oven (Portable Outdoor Oven Method):

Transfer: Once dough has come to room temperature, you’re ready to make the pizza.Flour your pizza peel with semolina flour or 00 flour. Carefully and gently pick up the dough from the container and transfer to the peel. Dust the dough with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Note: You can check that it’s not sticking by sliding the dough around the peel. If it is sticking, add a bit more flour to the bottom. I like to do this every minute or so to ensure my dough is not sticking, especially once I start adding the sauce and toppings.

Stretch: Form a rim for the crust by gently pressing your index finger all around the perimeter of the dough, about 2/3” from the edge. Stretch the dough as desired. Pizza should stretch to at least a 10-inch diameter.

Top: Ladle or spoon the sauce on top of the dough. You will likely need less sauce than you think (and too much sauce can weigh down the pizza), about 3 - 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce max. Top the pizza with desired toppings.

Check Sticking: Make sure the pizza is not sticking to the peel before launching. If it is, add a bit more flour, then hold the handle of the peel and slide the dough around to ensure it’s not sticking at all.

Stretching and Topping:

Standard Home Oven:Launching Tip: Launch the pizza in the oven by holding the peel parallel to your baking sheet/stone/steel and gently sliding the pizza onto it. There’s no need to rush it; you can do this slowly to get the hang of it. Immediately close the oven and bake according to your desired method.1 - Top rack method: Once ready to form the pizza, turn the oven to the broiler setting on high. Launch and broil for 2 minutes, then turn off the broiler but keep the oven on at the hottest temperature until the pizza is finished cooking (about 1 - 2 additional minutes). 2 - Switching racks method: When ready to launch the pizza, bake for 3 - 4 minutes on the bottom rack until the bottom is nicely browned. Then, turn the broiler setting on high and transfer the pizza to the top rack to finish cooking for 1 - 2 minutes.Repeat the process with the next pizzas.

Portable Pizza Oven:For my Ooni Koda 16, I typically launch the pizza at the highest temperature setting, then lower the knob to about 1/2 of the max heat right after launching for the rest of the baking. I cook the pizza for 30 seconds, then rotate every 15 seconds until cooked through (about 2 minutes). If I find I want a crispier bottom crust, I will turn the heat down fully to low and cook for an additional 30 seconds or so. I&#39;ll then crank the oven temperature back to the max in preparation for the next pizza. Repeat the process with the next pizzas.

Launch and Bake

this worked incredibly well! I did freeze mine as per the comments, no issues!
we even made a detroit style one with a high sided pan, followed the same guidance on heat but just baked it on the bottom rack for 17 min. 10/10

I’ve made about 20 pizzas using this recipe and I can say hands down this is the best recipe out there. I use Caputo’s Pizzeria 00 flour and it has an amazing flavor profile after the 3-day cold fermentation.

Yes made several times. The scale is essential. Love this crust. We use in our pizza oven and love the bubbles   We don’t get this with traditional dough

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXS6ZPrSj50

My go-to 72-hour pizza dough recipe uses a slow, cold fermentation method to yield a flavorful dough with a chewy, crispy crust. Plus, it's easy enough to use for both home ovens and outdoor pizza ovens.

Full recipe: https://homecookingcollective.com/cold-fermented-pizza-dough-recipe/

Cold Fermented Pizza Dough (24 - 72 hour dough!)

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