Patent ID: 6365210
Filing Date: 2002-04-02
Classification: A21C,A21D

Abstract:
A method of preparing parbaked pizza crust which comprises the steps of providing a dough including flour, sugar, water and cellulose gum to help the dough absorb and retain the water in the dough during proofing, and parbaking, then, proofing the dough, and then separately thereafter steam hydrating the prepared and proofed dough under conditions sufficient to cause moisture absorption and a resultant increase in moisture content throughout the dough, then separately thereafter parbaking the steam hydrated dough until gelatinization of the starch is complete, and adjusting at least one parbaking condition selected from the group consisting of initial dough temperature, oven temperature, parbaking time, dough absorption and dough thickness coordinated with the moisture content condition of the dough upon completion of said steam hydration thereof for thereby delaying external browning of the dough until the starch gelatinization is complete, and discontinuing the parbaking before substantial caramelization of the sugar in the resultant crust takes place.