Making a big batch of dough (yeast, separating etc.)

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chicouk

Assistant Cook
Joined
May 11, 2007
Messages
18
Hi all,

i am planning to make 3kg worth of pizza dough.

I follow this amazing recipe which uses 500grams of flour and a packet of yeast.

I remember a few years ago I made 1kg batch and doubled the yeast and it made the dough smell like alcohol but thankfully the taste was not too bad.

Anyway my question is, should I follow the 500gram recipe 6 times to make 3kg worth of pizza dough, or can I do 3 big bathches and if so how much yeast should i put in.

And during the fermentation period can i chuck all the batches of dough in to one massive bucket or is it best to seperate them in seperate bowls, I am planning to let it ferment in the fridge overnight.

Thank you All

Aaron
 
First of all, it depends on your mixer. I stripped 1 of the gears on our Kitchen Aid several years ago making a triple batch of pizza dough. My hubby was NOT happy with me since he got to fix the KA after we got a new gear. Obviously, I had to finish the dough by hand. I was NOT happy and felt like my arms were going to fall off by the time I got done kneading it. Tried to do it all at once at first and it was just too much, couldn't knead it properly, ended up having to separate it to do the kneading. I did let it all rise on 1 big bowl.
 
Brilliant that answered my question

i am probably going to do 6 batches cause i do not want to knacker my kitchen aid.

Thank you very much :)
 
You are talking roughly 25 cups of flour (6.6 pounds). That is a lot to work with at one go for the home. My mixer KA600Pro is rated at 14 cups of flour.

I would likely do this in three batches and a packet of yeast per batch then combine and knead (try to) before letting it rise (mayhaps in a bucket).

Separate after it rises and freeze or whatever before the second rise.
 
Hi all,

i am planning to make 3kg worth of pizza dough.

I follow this amazing recipe which uses 500grams of flour and a packet of yeast.

I remember a few years ago I made 1kg batch and doubled the yeast and it made the dough smell like alcohol but thankfully the taste was not too bad.

Anyway my question is, should I follow the 500gram recipe 6 times to make 3kg worth of pizza dough, or can I do 3 big bathches and if so how much yeast should i put in.

And during the fermentation period can i chuck all the batches of dough in to one massive bucket or is it best to seperate them in seperate bowls, I am planning to let it ferment in the fridge overnight.

Thank you All

Aaron
Generally speaking the more flour you use in bread (and pizza dough, of course) the lower the proportion of yeast. Don't double the flour and double the yeast.

The absolute maximum necessary for 3lb flour is 1 ounce of fresh yeast or 1/2 ounce of dried yeast (either ordinary dried yeast or fast-acting yeast) however you can reduce it to 1/2 an ounce fresh or even 1/4 an ounce of fresh (and proportionally less if using dried yeast) if you are giving the dough a long fermentation. You don't have to sit and look at it while it does its stuff. You could go off and do anything else - go to work, go to bed, go to the cinema or watch television. A longer fermentation improves the flavour. Use warm water, not cold, despite what some new-wave baking celebrities tell you.

Do not try to make dough using 3kgs of flour unless you have access to commercial mixing and kneading equipment. The most I make at a time is using 3lbs of flour. Depending on the size and strength of your mixer you may be better mixing and kneading by hand. What you could do is mix the dough all in one go and then split it and knead it in, say 3, batches.

I've been making my own bread for around 50 years. My bible is Elizabeth David's "English Bread and Yeast Cookery".
 
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