You need to tell us how much and what type of yeast you are using; are you using packages of regular yeast, bread machine or instant (also called rapid or fast rising)? And we need to know how much yeast to how much flour you are using when you make your bread or pizza dough.

Sounds to me as if you are using too much yeast for the recipe. With many pizza dough and some bread recipes, a less amount of yeast is desirable to produce a better tasting product. Also, if your timing is off because the yeast amount is more than is needed, you run the risk of over-proofing the dough which can result in "blown out" dough with large holes or separation of the top crust from the rest of the loaf -- or the loaf can over-proof and fall resulting in the proverbial door stop. :o(

A little more information, please.
Teresa

Dough rises, not to the clock, but according to the hydration of the dough, the strength of the yeast, and the ambient air moisture and temperature.

There are also ingredients in the dough that will affect the rise - amount of sugar (sweetener), amount of salt, the amount of fat and WHEN the fat was added will have an effect. Times suggested in recipes are (1) set according to "normal standards" (2) just a good guess based on what happend in the kitchen of the author of the recipe. In warm temperatures (closer to 80°F), it will rise faster. In cool temperatures, it takes much longer. Dough does NOT tell time.

I suggest using a dough-rising bucket (aka dough-doubler) and check dough for when it "doubles" by looking at the dough, rather than setting a timer. Begin checking after 20-minutes. Anytime you go over double, you are over-proofing the dough. The dough-rising bucket is the perfect mini-environment for rising dough. If you place 1-quart of dough in the container, when it reaches the 2-quart mark, you will know it is "double".

Because our flour is no longer bromated, we actually should only let dough rise to just UNDER double. It no longer has the extensibility that it did when we used bromated flour. This is also important when making bread using freshly-milled flour - especially 100% whole wheat breads. Adding an acid in the form of Vitamin C powder (aka ascorbic acid) will aid in the extensibility and help yeast work longer.

Cool rises will lend itself to different flavors and different textures. It's a choice, neither method is right or wrong. I'll use different rising temperatures for different types of breads, or at different times of the year based on ambient temperature.

-Grainlady

Here are the ingredients from CI's calzone recipe, which I use often including last night:

4 cups bread flour (which I weigh to their equivalent 22 oz)
1 package of instant yeast (I measured a shy 2.25 t from a jar of Fleischman's instant)
2 T EVOO
1.5 t salt
1.5 cups plus 1 T water, 110 deg

I used high protein flour, and had to add a bit more flour towards the end of kneading (in KA stand mixer with dough hook) because it seemed a bit too sticky.

I used a 4 qt food service bucket to measure doubling. I rushed the fillings when it was close to doubling, but by the time I got to it, it more like tripled.

Grainlady, I can understand that ingredients, temperature, humidity, etc. play a role. But I seem to have the same results when my kitchen is a dry 60 deg in the winter or a humid 80 deg in the summer. Regardless of recipe, I have never had my dough take anywhere near as long as the recipe suggests, to double. Based on last night, the dough doubled in 1/3 of their low side of the expected range!

Where do you live? what's your altitude?
Linda c

According to Betsy Oppenneer in The Bread Book, she uses 1 t. yeast to 1 lb. flour (4 cups) in her bread making. As I suspected, the amount of yeast in the recipe that you are using may be too much for the amount of flour. And I am not surprised that you found the dough a bit sticky with the amount of water called for.

The next time you try this recipe, I would recommend 1 t. to 1 rounded teaspoon yeast and 1 1/4 cups water to start. Add the flour by 1/2 cups until it forms as dough less sticky than this time. Then use only sprinkles of flour when kneading the dough. Less flour over all is better than a dry, stiff dough from too much flour. You can oil your countertop with a little olive oil or vegetable oil when kneading if the dough becomes sticky.

Just my opinion.

foodon;

Could be your body temperature, heating up the room!!! LOL

Do you want to try my Pizza Dough Recipe ???

Never had a problem. Thick , Thin , Sicilian, Stuffed Crust, in the Pan, on the Stone, etc.
Lou

Foodon:
Here is the Recipe I was going to put in the Calzone Thread
The Pizza Dough Recipe is in here.
Maybe they will pick up on it.
Photo's didn't come in.
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Cooking in Cleveland
"A thriving household depends on the use of seasonal produce and the application of common sense." ~
Olivier de Serres

Stromboli
After making the Calzone, wanted to try my hand at Stromboli. I made Lou's pizza dough, divided it in three pieces. Just rolled them out thin, about 8X14 inches and spread fillings over top. Roll them up and cut slits in the top and brushed with an egg wash. Fillings of broccoli and mozzarella, pepperoni and mozzarella and roasted red peppers, onions and mozzarella. The food critic and DS were very happy with the results.

Place on a lightly-oiled baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven 20-25 minutes.
Posted by OhioMom 2 comments
Labels: Bread
Calzone
...."I get by with a little help from my friends"

I made a batch of Lou's pizza dough yesterday, wanted to make Calzone. I have never made them so I contacted my friend Lucy for help. Thanks Lucy for all your hints and tips ! A Calzone is an Italian turnover, made with pizza dough and filled with cheese, vegetables or meat.


Lou's Pizza Dough

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1 pkg. Active Dry Yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 cup warm water

Mix yeast with 1/2 cup warm water and sugar, let proof. Add oil and 1 cup of water to yeast mixture, stir. Combine flours and salt, add to yeast mixture. Knead on dough hook for 5 minutes, or by hand for 10.
Add enough AP flour to the Dough to make a Soft ball of Dough
Cover and set in warm place till dough doubles in bulk. Punch down, divide into quarters for Calzone.

Filling:

Large bunch of broccoli, chopped up
1/2 cup Ricotta cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Feta cheese

Cook broccoli in boiling water for about five minutes. Combine cheeses in a bowl.

Take one quarter piece of dough and pat out into a circle, mound filling in center.


Fold dough over and seal edges well. I used an egg wash on top of mine.

Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet, or a baking stone if you have one. Calzone fresh from the oven, oozing with melted cheese.


Posted by OhioMom Welcome to homecooking with seasonal, locally grown produce. My recipes are simple

Also, remember that the climate conditions at the time of baking can affect how much flour the dough will accept to get to the right consistency. Yesterday when I was making Struan Bread, it was like a sauna outside -- so I had to add about an extra 3-4 TB of flour while kneading in my Kitchen Aid mixer.
Teresa

Teresa:
Do you dump your's out and finish mixing on a worktop, to get the right amount of flour ???
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Make it up here in the Pocono's. You won't have that problem.
LOU

Lou - I've tried your dough recipe. Very good. Rises too fast, just like the others.

Linda C - Long Island, NY. 331 feet above sea level.

I think I'll experiment with less yeast. As I kind of stated earlier, I have the same issue all year round. It just seems strange to me that regardless of current environment I have such extremely different results from the recipe writers.

Foodon:
There's only one thing it can be, Your body heat, brings the room temperature to 104 Degrees. lol

I don't know what too fast is. Mine rises in about 45 min to 60 minutes.

Don't go by time , when it doubles, punch it down and
Shape whatever you are making.
Or let it rise twice then the time thing will be right.

You could try a little bit less Yeast.

Go for it !!!!! I know you can do it.
We are all cheering for you.
LOU

Foodon: We are too!!!!!!!!!

Go Foodon Go !!!!! Go Foodon Go !!!!!
Ray , Whoop ,Whoop !!!
Sis Boom Ba !!!!! Ray Foodon !!!!!

Well then it can't be the altitude....
I suggest you don't worry about dough rising early...or fast.
Figure out your own time table for the dough and run with it.
Linda C

foodon:
Did you ever get the Pizza Dough problem worked out.
I won't let you rest until you answer back,

" I did and now it is great "

Lou