Soggy bottom pizza! Help required please

dorsetmiss_2

Been trying my hand at HM pizza, (making dough in BM), but nearly always end up with inedible soggy base of uncooked dough in the middle. What am I doing wrong...how can I avoid this please? I use the dough recipe from the MR book and make into two bases as we prefer a thin base. For the topping I've tried either passata, pasta sauce or just tomato puree then topped with sliced fresh toms, mushrooms, olives and mozzie cheese usually. I've tried a blisteringly hot oven for a shorter time...a less hot over for a longer time, (always on a hot baking sheet), but still can't get it right - we end up eating the outer crust and just picking the topping off the middle. Does anyone have any secrets/tips/hints/ideas to share to get this sorted?

Thank you

shakemeup

I bake mine on 220 for about 10 mins on the middle shelf. I also make mine in a breadmaker, roll it out leave it for about 30mins and then add topping. I use tomato puree, cheese and ham and it turns out OK. Not sure if that helps you at all.

lister

Very strange, particularly as you want thin and crispy (good choice - real pizza ).

I always turn the oven up to maximum and give it 7-10 minutes. The inside will always be slightly soft rather than crunchy because it is covered, but it shouldn't be raw dough.

I wonder if you are just finding the softer inside not to your taste rather than it being totally uncooked? If so, try part baking the base (say 4-5 mins) before putting the topping on. You might find it isn't quite as light as you will probably lose some of the rise in the dough, but it should help crispen up the base a bit. Then just cook with topping for anohter 4-5 mins (you may find the cheese doesn't melt quite as well though).

oldMcDonald

I usually partbake the base for about 8 mins, then turn it over so the 'browned' side which was on the tray is facing upwards and then put the toppings on. This always resultes in a non soggy base as it 'seals' the bread base.

lister

Just thought. How much yeast are you using to how much flour? You need more yeast in pizza dough because you need it to rise more quickly. I normally use about 2 teaspoons of easy blend yeast to 1/2lb (275g) flour (makes two 10 inch pizza bases) which is about double what I would use for bread.

springchicken

This always happens to my pizzas as well.
Thought I was putting to much tom puree on but after trying less it was still soggy in the middle.
This is with Asda pre made pizza bases as well!

lush_walrus

Sounds like too many and too heavy toppings to me. If the layer of cheese is too thick the heat doesnt get through very easily. The best method with the cheese is also to put a thin layer of puree (or whatever you choose) then a thin sprinkling of cheese, then whatever toppings then a final thin sprinkliing of cheese. Thats how all of the pizza restuarants do it.

MikeLB

Are you cooking them on a tray or direct on the racks in the oven? I fine bases are always a lot crispier and better cooked by placing the pizza direct onto the rack with no tray.

helenhugs

if its soggy why not try part cooking the base on its own before you add the toppings, Some people recommend it, i've never found it necessary personally but it probably does make a difference on the recipe you use.
hugs
Helen

Penny-Pincher!!

Hi Hun

OH makes pizzas all the time:rolleyes: He makes the dough in the BM too but normally part cooks for about 8 mins before adding the toppings and cooking a further 15 mins. Maybe roll the dougha little thinner in the middle and deeper around the edges

Good luck
PP
xx

dorsetmiss_2

lister wrote:

I always turn the oven up to maximum and give it 7-10 minutes. The inside will always be slightly soft rather than crunchy because it is covered, but it shouldn't be raw dough.

I wonder if you are just finding the softer inside not to your taste rather than it being totally uncooked? If so, try part baking the base (say 4-5 mins) before putting the topping on.

It's deffo on the 'raw' side of 'soft' ... :rotfl:

Gonna have a go at part cooking the base next time....but it just doesn't seem authentic to do this somehow :rolleyes: