Pizza dough. The mere mention of the word is enough to invoke images of a large, delicious, and cheesy pizza: the perfect Sunday night dinner for just about everyone. But, there’s one small detail that most people don’t know.
I wish it were that easy, but adding sugar to your pizza dough is only the first step when making a great pizza at home!
Why do you put sugar in pizza dough?
The reason to put sugar in pizza dough is to feed the yeast. Yeast is a type of fungi that, when it comes into contact with sugar, creates gas using the energy from the sugar. This gas forms bubbles in the dough which make it rise.
In order for the yeast to be activated in pizza dough, you must add some sort of sugar or sweetener. Without it, the yeast will not wake up and start doing its job and not produce any bubbles.
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How Much Sugar In Pizza Dough?
I add around one teaspoon of sugar to my pizza dough. This is enough to active the yeast and get things rolling.
The right amount of sugar in pizza dough is something that every cook has their own opinion on. There are many factors to take into account, such as the type of pizza you are making, the type of yeast you are using, and whether or not your yeast was recently activated.
Can You Use Brown Sugar In Pizza Dough?
Yes. Brown sugar will work just fine in your pizza dough. It will work the same as white sugar.
Can You Use Sugar Substitutes In Pizza Dough?
No. Sugar substitutes, such as Splenda and Stevia, will not work in a pizza dough. They will not activate the yeast and they don’t have enough energy in them to feed the yeast to create gas.
Substitute For Sugar In Pizza Dough
Sugar is not the only sweetener that can be used to activate the yeast.
Brown sugar and honey will also work. They will both provide enough energy for the yeast to feed on and produce those important bubbles.
If you don’t want to use regular white sugar, feel free to experiment with brown sugar or honey as a substitute in pizza dough.
The most important thing is to use some kind of sweetener in your dough. This will not only activate the yeast and improve the flavor of your pizza, it will also improve the texture and consistency of your pizza.
Related – What can I do with overworked pizza dough? – Why Does My Pizza Dough Have Air Bubbles When Rising?
Conclusion
In conclusion, you can use sugar in pizza dough. The sugar adds extra flavor and will give your dough a softer texture, which is better for pizza. But remember, adding sugar to your pizza dough is not the only step! You must also follow a few other steps to make the perfect pizza at home.
What you need to do is add one teaspoon of white sugar to your pizza dough. Then add water and knead the dough until it’s very pliable and soft.
