Defrosting pizza dough correctly?
Last time I made pizza dough I was a bit...generous with the ingredients - not a problem, I thought, as I'd read before somewhere that pizza dough is nicely freezable. So, I broke the dough in half, sealed up one piece and placed it in the freezer - this was done immediately after kneading, with no time given for rising.
Now I've got a frozen lump of pizza dough in the freezer, and I'm not sure how I defrost it so it also then rises correctly and cooks well.
If I just leave it out uncovered it will presumably rise inconsistently because the middle will take much longer to defrost?
So should I leave it in the fridge first?
Or, is it better left somewhere warm through the entire defrost to help fire up the yeast?
Or have I "done it wrong" and may as well dump this particular piece?
Best Answer
Since my pizza dough recipe makes three 12" pies and I usually make two at a time, I regularly freeze extras just as you did.
To thaw, I have used both the countertop and refrigerator method. Thawing on the countertop produced the best results. The dough rolled as usual and the crust (a thin one) was crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside after baking.
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Quick Answer about "Defrosting pizza dough correctly?"
Take the dough out of the freezer bag, put it on a microwave-safe plate, and cover it with a bowl to protect it from direct heat. Using the defrost setting on the microwave, defrost the dough in thirty-second increments for two and a half minutes total.How long does it take frozen pizza dough to thaw and rise?
Take your pizza dough out of the freezer, and remove it from the plastic storage bag. Put it in a container that is large enough to allow for expansion, and cover it with plastic wrap. The dough will thaw and rise, and it will take around two hours.How long dies it take to defrost pizza dough?
Simply place the frozen dough in the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight. This method is slow but effective, and it won't affect the texture of the dough. It's also the easiest method, so it's ideal for beginners. In order to thaw your pizza dough, you need to have at least 8-12 hours.Why are you not supposed to let frozen pizza thaw?
Thaw your frozen pizza prior to cooking This is controversial because there's a risk of contamination if your pizza is not thawed properly.More answers regarding defrosting pizza dough correctly?
Answer 2
This is three years too late but since your dough was not cold fermented before freezing, I would suggest thawing/cold fermenting the dough in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours. This will allow the yeast to consume more of the fermentable sugars and develop more complex flavors in your dough. Yeast doughs are the easiest to freeze by coating them lightly with olive oil, then bagging them without air and freezing them.
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