Dawn. Earlier in this thread you stated that you had broken 3 pizza stones in the last year.

http://lb1.rouxbe.com/community/forums/12/topics/150?page=1#3023

You also attributed it the fact that sometimes you forget to soak the stone. This truly surprises me, for two reasons.

1. I have used a baking stone for years, to the point where it has become a gorgeous dark brown color, smooth and obviously well seasoned. I bought it from Pampered Chef, it was expensive.. but it has lasted, and I do a lot more than just bake pizza on it.
2. In all that time, I have never soaked the stone in water. I will rinse and scrape it to clean (no soap), but otherwise, it is always dry when it goes in the oven.
3. I've also never preheated the stone. Probably not a bad idea, I've just never done it. I stick whatever it is I am baking directly on a dry, room temperature stone and then into the pre-heated oven. I've never been disappointed.

I have no idea what is contributing to you pizza stones cracking, but a "pizza stone" should certainly be able to withstand pizza baking temperatures! I'd look for a different brand. Pampered chef round stoneware now has handles on it.. (which I dislike) but their stoneware is great, and it is guaranteed not to crack.

PS. My stoneware sits in storage right now. It is one thing I truly miss while we are away from home.

um.. that would be three (3) reasons! :) Sorry!

Thanks for the heads up on the pizza stone Leigh - much appreciated. I do have a new one (from William and Sonoma) so lets see how that ones goes. I have only used it once since I bought it but so far so good :-) Cheers!

Hi. Can I store the dough after it has risen to use it in the next day?

You can store it, but keep in mind that the yeast will eventually lose its power and the dough won't rise as nicely. Also, if the dough is kept for too long, the yeast will actually die because new food/starches are not being introduced. Bake it off and see if you don't mind the results. You'll know for next time whether or not to make less. Cheers!

I used the exact measurements in this recipe and the dough was dry. When I took it out of the bowl there was about 1/8 cup of flour left at the bottom. It was dry so I added some water while kneading. I added less than 1/4 cup water but I don't know how moist the dough should be. It seems a little tough. Will it become more moist after rising? Did I do something wrong?

In order to help you, did you use measuring cups/spoons to measure the ingredients or did you weigh them? What type of flour are you using?

Good that you added some water to the mix.. The dough will hydrate as it rests. You might also want to check out the lessons in the Cooking School in the Bread Section. There is helpful information in these lessons that talks about ingredients and the stages of making bread/dough. Cheers!

My apologies, I should have gave more info.

I used King Arthur unbleached bread flour and Red Mill Semolina. I used dry measuring cups for dry ingredients and wet for wet. I did not sift the flours prior to measuring or mixing.

I used 1/4 cup water to dissolve the yeast then added it to the 1 cup for a total of 1 1/4 cup water.

Could it be the flours were too compact? Seems obvious I know. I took care when measuring.

Yes, it is very easy to use more flour than necessary when measuring with measuring cups. Also, depending on the humidity where you are, this will also affect measuring...for the best consistency, it is worth it to have a scale if you plan on making a lot of dough or if you bake a lot. When you have a good formula for dough, scales take the guess work out.

You likely used too much flour/semolina this time. Even if you do not invest in a scale, next time add only about 3/4's of the flour/semolina to the liquid components and work the dough to see the consistency you get. It is easier to add more flour to overly sticky dough than to work in water. Hope this helps and hope your pizza turns out well! Cheers!

Hi. I can't find bread flour in my area. If I need to use all purpose flour, should I increase the amount of flour to add more gluten to the recipe? I found a "gluten flour"; can I use it to achive the expected amount of gluten? Thanks in advance.

I've been making grilled pizza this summer and they have been delicious and fun. I add finely chopped fresh herbs from my garden - basil and rosemary - to the dough which give it a pretty green speckled look and, of course, a lot of extra flavor.

You can substitute the same amount of all-purpose flour for bread flour here. The dough just won't be as chewy. If you are talking about a product such as vital, you can definitely add some in to the dough as per the manufacturer's instructions...but try out the all-purpose flour first and see if you like the results. Cheers!

Hey everyone, try using triple 0 flour, what a difference, the dough becomes nice thin crust and soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, great for the grill also

I just ran across this blog and saw the issue of the pizza stone cracking. I have never had a problem with my stone cracking and I have had it for years. It was bought at a discount store, too. The instructions were simple, though. Place the stone in a cold oven and preheat the oven. It is the sudden temperatures that will crack the stone. When you place your pizza on the stone, the heat of the stone will assist browning of the crust. That's the whole reasoning for using the stone. When the pizza comes out, I let the stone cool in the oven. I remove it when it is cool. My stone is a beautiful brown color and is well seasoned. I never wash it. I simply scrape it and brush it off.

For some reason I think I might just be cursed when it comes to pizza stones :-) I say this because I do everything that you say, yet I have still had 3 crack on me. My current stone I have had for a bit now so we'll see how that goes. Cheers!

Obviously some varying opinions, so I went straight to Pampered Chef and got their recommendations which I have reprinted here. Note that they recommend to NOT preheat the stone.

I also suspect that soaking your stone prior to using contributed to your cracking, as all that moisture would cause uneven heating..

Stoneware Use and Care

* Hand wash only; wash prior to first use. Remove excess food with scraper. It is not recommended to use soap, detergent or an automatic dishwasher. Not dishwasher-safe.
* Stoneware will naturally season and develop a natural nonstick surface over time with use.
* Slight sticking may occur for the first several uses. For best results, bake high-fat foods (e.g., refrigerated biscuits) or lightly brush with cooking oil for the first several uses. Aerosol nonstick spray is not recommended; it will create a sticky residue which is difficult to clean.
* Stoneware can be used in conventional, convection and microwave ovens, and is freezer safe. Stoneware is heat-resistant to 450°F (230°C). Do not use Stoneware under broiler or on direct heat source. Follow oven manufacturer's guidelines.

Tips

* Prevent breakage from thermal shock by avoiding extreme temperature changes.
* Do not preheat stone.
* At least two-thirds of Stoneware surface should be covered with food to avoid thermal shock. Always evenly distribute food over Stoneware surface; avoid clustering foods.
* Do not place dense, frozen food items (chicken breasts, pot pies, roasts or chops) on Stoneware. Always thaw dense, frozen food in refrigerator prior to baking.
* Foods refrigerated in Stoneware may be placed directly in a preheated oven.
* Do not place any other pan or rack on top of Stoneware while baking.
* Follow recipe temperature and baking time when using Stoneware. Short bake times (under 12 minutes) may need an additional 1-2 minutes.

Safeguards

* Hot Stoneware can cause burns if handled improperly. Always use a heat-resistant oven mitt or pad when handling hot Stoneware or placing on surfaces.
* Stoneware may scratch surfaces if moved or dragged. To protect surfaces, use protective barrier between Stoneware and surface.
* Avoid extreme temperature changes. Always allow Stoneware to cool to room temperature prior to adding liquid or cleaning. Do not use chipped or damaged Stoneware.
* Stoneware can break if bumped or dropped. If this occurs, use caution as broken pieces can be sharp and could cause injury.
* Stoneware should not touch sides of oven or oven door when closed.

Funny, but mine said to put it in a cold oven and turn the oven on. They said to put it in a hot oven would cause it to crack. I've followed that instruction and have never had a problem. Of course, I didn't spend what you must have to buy my stone, since you bought from Pampered Chef. I guess the advice is to follow the manufacturer's instructions on the use of your stone.

I had a couple of questions. What does the semolina do? How can I tell whether the flour is bleached? In the uk supermarkets, it doesn't seem to say and usually the only listed ingredients are wheat flour!

I couldnt find semolina flour anywhere so just added more bread flour (12.8% protein). may have used too much as I felt the pizza was more like the type you get in frozen pizzas (hard round the edges and a bit too bready in the middle). Would a pizza stone get rid of the hard edges ?

Semolina gives the dough a very slight grainy texture.

Here in North America, our wheat flour is labeled as bleached or unbleached. If your flour is bleached, it will likely have other ingredients listed. It is fine if you used all bread flour; however, it is best to weigh the ingredients to obtain the proper ratio/texture.

Not exactly sure what you mean by a pizza stone getting rid of the hard edges. Did you use a stone to cook the pizza? Cooking on a hot stone will promote even cooking and will cook the dough quickly...making it bubble up and become nice and crispy. Give it another try making these small tweaks. Hope this helps!

Hi,
I have some difficulty to dev the gluten, I tried several bread flour, and knead for at least 15-20 mn, But the Dough still not smooth, its smoother than the start but not like the video. Is it the result of adding olive oil ? Or the need to test more flour ?
Thank you again,
Regards,

If you are using bread flour, I don't think it is the flour. 15 to 20 minutes sounds a bit long to develop a smooth texture. Olive oil/fat helps to soften the dough so it's not that. When kneading, make sure to use quite a bit of downward pressure. Press and stretch the dough into the counter and remember to give it a quarter turn and fold it over itself every time. Don't worry about being a bit aggressive. It's a great way to work out any stresses :-) Try it again and let us know how it goes. Cheers!

I tried the dough recipe and let if rise over night in the fridge with pretty good success, however I tried to pre-heat my pizza stone at 450 deg F, and my stone turned a dark brown colour and began filling my kitchen with a tone of smoke.

Am I missing something with regards to using a pizza stone?

I saw that Dawn said she soaks her's prior to using it in an earlier comment. I didn't do this, could this have been my problem? or is my pizza stone just not suited for that high of temperature possibly?

I know longer had the instructions and it had been well over a year since I used it last. At one point a small circle of oil seeped out of the center of the stone once the oven was hot enough and I assume this is what was causing the smoke.

As well, does anyone have any reccomended cooking temperatures for there pizzas? Ive seen on TV that most people try to cook them quickly on high heat (sometimes 500 deg F) I assume to get the cheese to a brown up faster. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks
Mark

Regarding the pizza stone, did you place it into the center of a cold oven and then preheat it? The stone will turn color and stain, especially after items have been baked on it. Perhaps there was some leftover debris from the last time you used it that was burning off? Try it again and see if the same thing happens.

From my understanding, pizza stones are supposed to withstand high heat of at least 450F. I have never had to soak my pizza stone. I actually use mine on the BBQ to cook pizza and the heat is much hotter than that. The results are fantastic and I haven't had the stone break on me yet. The hotter the stone, the quicker the pizza will cook. This is why good pizza shops have wood burning ovens. Their pizzas cook pizzas in just a few minutes (and those ovens are way hotter than 500F).

Make sure you scrape any bits of dough/food off of the stone once you are finished cooking with it and it is cool enough to handle. Aside from placing the stone into a cold oven and then turning on the heat to slowly heat it, I can't think of anything else to suggest. Give it another try and let us know how it goes. Cheers!

Thanks Kimberly,

Yes I put the stone into the oven stone cold, and then heated it directly to 450, so I will try and slowly heat it next time and see what happens.

I didn't realize you had to slowly heat a pizza stone to the desired temp.

Thanks
Mark

No problem. Just to be clear, you only need to put the stone into the cold oven and then set the temperature to 450F. It will slowly heat up as the oven heats up. It's best not to put a cold stone into a hot oven; otherwise, it may crack. Cheers!