Cold Ferment Pizza Dough
This Cold Ferment Pizza Dough is my go-to homemade pizza dough for a reason. The slow rise in the fridge builds deeper flavor, better browning, and a chewy, airy crust that works beautifully for pizza night at home.
Servings: 2 14-inch Pizzas
Calories: 877kcal
Equipment
- Instant Read Digital Thermometer Optional
- Bench Scraper Optional
- Kitchen Scale Recommended
- Stand Mixer Optional
- Pizza Peel Recommended
- Pizza Steel Recommended - A pizza stone is the closest substitute
- Cooling Racks Recommended
Ingredients
- 280 g Warm Water 110-115℉
- 9 g Sugar
- 4 g Active Dry Yeast
- 430 g Bread Flour
- 9 g Fine Sea Salt
- 11 g Non-Fat Milk Powder Optional, But Highly Recommended
- 13 g Neutral Oil
Instructions
- Stir together the warm water, sugar, and active dry yeast in a small bowl. Let sit for about 5 minutes, until foamy. Add the yeast mixture to the bread flour, salt, non-fat milk powder (if using), and oil in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low until no dry spots remain. Cover and let rest (autolyse) for 10 minutes.
- Knead on medium-low speed for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough turns smooth and slightly elastic.
- Shape into a tight ball on a lightly floured counter, cover and let it bulk proof at room temperature for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Punch the dough down, divide into 2 equal pieces, and shape into smooth dough balls. Transfer to lightly oiled containers and cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 72 hours. For best flavor and texture, 48 to 72 hours is ideal.
- Remove the dough from the fridge 1 to 3 hours before baking so it can come to room temperature and relax. 1 hour before baking, place a pizza steel on the second-highest oven rack and preheat the oven to 550°F, or as hot as it will go.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter. Working from the middle out, stretch the dough into a 14-inch circle, leaving a slightly thicker edge to form the crust. Transfer to a semolina (or flour)-dusted pizza peel and add sauce, cheese, and toppings. Add a light drizzle of oil to the crust.
- Transfer the prepared pizza to the preheated pizza steel and bake for 4 to 5 minutes, then broil on high for 60 to 90 seconds, watching closely, until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is browned. Transfer the pizza to a wire rack to allow to cool. Repeat the process with the second dough ball.
For one 14-inch pizza, use about 130 to 150g sauce (roughly ½ to ⅔ cup) and 200g shredded cheese (about 1 ¾ to 2 cups) from a 50/50 mix of whole milk and part-skim low-moisture mozzarella, and a sprinkle of Romano or Parmesan.
Notes
- For the best flavor and texture, cold ferment the dough for 48 to 72 hours, though it still works after 24 hours.
- Bread flour gives the dough better chew, structure, and oven spring, but all-purpose flour will still work for a slightly softer crust.
- Let the dough rest at room temperature for 1 to 3 hours before shaping. If it still snaps back, let it rest 10 to 15 minutes more and try again.
Nutrition
Calories: 877kcal | Carbohydrates: 164g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 1786mg | Potassium: 333mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 124IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 2mg
