I've made plenty of pizza bases with "00" Italian flour that have had a
superb texture - light and crunchy, but not tough.
A few weeks ago I found that the "00" flour in the pantry had passed the
expiry date so I made several bases (after the first fermentation) and
froze them.
I thawed one of them out last night and set it in a warm cupboard to rise a
bit. No reaction! I made the pizza anyway and the crust edges were almost
as hard as concrete.
I will try and proof another one but it looks as if the remaining will end
up in the land-fill.

On Sunday, December 20, 2020 at 10:49:44 AM UTC-6, Graham wrote:
> I've made plenty of pizza bases with "00" Italian flour that have had a
> superb texture - light and crunchy, but not tough.
> A few weeks ago I found that the "00" flour in the pantry had passed the
> expiry date so I made several bases (after the first fermentation) and
> froze them.
> I thawed one of them out last night and set it in a warm cupboard to rise a
> bit. No reaction! I made the pizza anyway and the crust edges were almost
> as hard as concrete.
> I will try and proof another one but it looks as if the remaining will end
> up in the land-fill.

It's not your flour. It's your yeast that's gone bad.

--Bryan

On Sun, 20 Dec 2020 09:05:47 -0800 (PST), Bryan Simmons wrote:

> On Sunday, December 20, 2020 at 10:49:44 AM UTC-6, Graham wrote:
>> I've made plenty of pizza bases with "00" Italian flour that have had a
>> superb texture - light and crunchy, but not tough.
>> A few weeks ago I found that the "00" flour in the pantry had passed the
>> expiry date so I made several bases (after the first fermentation) and
>> froze them.
>> I thawed one of them out last night and set it in a warm cupboard to rise a
>> bit. No reaction! I made the pizza anyway and the crust edges were almost
>> as hard as concrete.
>> I will try and proof another one but it looks as if the remaining will end
>> up in the land-fill.
>
> It's not your flour. It's your yeast that's gone bad.
>
> --Bryan

It must have snuffed it in the freezer. The yeast is otherwise fine as I
use it regularly.

On 12/20/2020 11:12 AM, Graham wrote:
> On Sun, 20 Dec 2020 09:05:47 -0800 (PST), Bryan Simmons wrote:
>
>> On Sunday, December 20, 2020 at 10:49:44 AM UTC-6, Graham wrote:
>>> I've made plenty of pizza bases with "00" Italian flour that have had a
>>> superb texture - light and crunchy, but not tough.
>>> A few weeks ago I found that the "00" flour in the pantry had passed the
>>> expiry date so I made several bases (after the first fermentation) and
>>> froze them.
>>> I thawed one of them out last night and set it in a warm cupboard to rise a
>>> bit. No reaction! I made the pizza anyway and the crust edges were almost
>>> as hard as concrete.
>>> I will try and proof another one but it looks as if the remaining will end
>>> up in the land-fill.
>>
>> It's not your flour. It's your yeast that's gone bad.
>>
>> --Bryan
>
> It must have snuffed it in the freezer. The yeast is otherwise fine as I
> use it regularly.
>

I keep my yeast in the freezer ... but in a sealed glass jar . That
said , I have also had "failure to rise" problems with frozen dough ,
though mine were dinner rolls . I suspect I left them frozen too long ,
several weeks IIRC . Those that I have thawed within 2-3 weeks of
freezing have been fine . Now I bake the whole batch and freeze them
after baking .
--
Snag
Illegitimi non
carborundum

Graham wrote:
....
> It must have snuffed it in the freezer. The yeast is otherwise fine as I
> use it regularly.

maybe too dry?


songbird

On Sun, 20 Dec 2020 09:49:37 -0700, Graham wrote:

> I've made plenty of pizza bases with "00" Italian flour that have had a
> superb texture - light and crunchy, but not tough.
> A few weeks ago I found that the "00" flour in the pantry had passed the
> expiry date so I made several bases (after the first fermentation) and
> froze them.
> I thawed one of them out last night and set it in a warm cupboard to rise a
> bit. No reaction! I made the pizza anyway and the crust edges were almost
> as hard as concrete.
> I will try and proof another one but it looks as if the remaining will end
> up in the land-fill.

I probably would have let them rise the second time and par baked
them, then froze. That's how they sell the pre-made 00 stone-baked
flour crusts from Italy here.

https://www.heb.com/product-detail/m...crusts/2898558

-sw

On Sun, 20 Dec 2020 13:30:07 -0600, Snag wrote:

> On 12/20/2020 11:12 AM, Graham wrote:
>> On Sun, 20 Dec 2020 09:05:47 -0800 (PST), Bryan Simmons wrote:
>>
>>> On Sunday, December 20, 2020 at 10:49:44 AM UTC-6, Graham wrote:
>>>> I've made plenty of pizza bases with "00" Italian flour that have had a
>>>> superb texture - light and crunchy, but not tough.
>>>> A few weeks ago I found that the "00" flour in the pantry had passed the
>>>> expiry date so I made several bases (after the first fermentation) and
>>>> froze them.
>>>> I thawed one of them out last night and set it in a warm cupboard to rise a
>>>> bit. No reaction! I made the pizza anyway and the crust edges were almost
>>>> as hard as concrete.
>>>> I will try and proof another one but it looks as if the remaining will end
>>>> up in the land-fill.
>>>
>>> It's not your flour. It's your yeast that's gone bad.
>>>
>>> --Bryan
>>
>> It must have snuffed it in the freezer. The yeast is otherwise fine as I
>> use it regularly.
>>
>
> I keep my yeast in the freezer ... but in a sealed glass jar . That
> said , I have also had "failure to rise" problems with frozen dough ,
> though mine were dinner rolls . I suspect I left them frozen too long ,
> several weeks IIRC . Those that I have thawed within 2-3 weeks of
> freezing have been fine . Now I bake the whole batch and freeze them
> after baking .

I think that par-baking after the second rise is the way to go. I have
another that has been in the warm cupboard all day and shows no sign of
rising.

On Sun, 20 Dec 2020 13:54:31 -0600, Sqwertz wrote:

> On Sun, 20 Dec 2020 09:49:37 -0700, Graham wrote:
>
>> I've made plenty of pizza bases with "00" Italian flour that have had a
>> superb texture - light and crunchy, but not tough.
>> A few weeks ago I found that the "00" flour in the pantry had passed the
>> expiry date so I made several bases (after the first fermentation) and
>> froze them.
>> I thawed one of them out last night and set it in a warm cupboard to rise a
>> bit. No reaction! I made the pizza anyway and the crust edges were almost
>> as hard as concrete.
>> I will try and proof another one but it looks as if the remaining will end
>> up in the land-fill.
>
> I probably would have let them rise the second time and par baked
> them, then froze. That's how they sell the pre-made 00 stone-baked
> flour crusts from Italy here.
>
> https://www.heb.com/product-detail/m...crusts/2898558
>
> -sw

I think that you are right and that's what I'll do in future.

On 12/20/2020 12:05 PM, Bryan Simmons wrote:
> On Sunday, December 20, 2020 at 10:49:44 AM UTC-6, Graham wrote:
>> I've made plenty of pizza bases with "00" Italian flour that have had a
>> superb texture - light and crunchy, but not tough.
>> A few weeks ago I found that the "00" flour in the pantry had passed the
>> expiry date so I made several bases (after the first fermentation) and
>> froze them.
>> I thawed one of them out last night and set it in a warm cupboard to rise a
>> bit. No reaction! I made the pizza anyway and the crust edges were almost
>> as hard as concrete.
>> I will try and proof another one but it looks as if the remaining will end
>> up in the land-fill.
>
> It's not your flour. It's your yeast that's gone bad.

I suspect you are correct about the bad yeast. The last pizza I made
just a week ago or so had a rock hard crust. First time ever.

As I start yeast in water with a half tsp sugar before adding the dry
ingredients, I did notice that it wasn't foaming up like normal.

The first two slices, I ate the rock hard crust. After that, I cut off
the crust on the remaining 6 slices. No need to risk breaking a tooth on
that crap. It was seriously that hard.

Note: the pizza was very good without the crust.

I have new yeast on my grocery list now for next trip (and next pizza)

Good valid coupon too. 75 cents off a 3 pack and my store will double that.

On Sunday, December 20, 2020 at 12:05:53 PM UTC-5, wrote:
> On Sunday, December 20, 2020 at 10:49:44 AM UTC-6, Graham wrote:
> > I've made plenty of pizza bases with "00" Italian flour that have had a
> > superb texture - light and crunchy, but not tough.
> > A few weeks ago I found that the "00" flour in the pantry had passed the
> > expiry date so I made several bases (after the first fermentation) and
> > froze them.
> > I thawed one of them out last night and set it in a warm cupboard to rise a
> > bit. No reaction! I made the pizza anyway and the crust edges were almost
> > as hard as concrete.
> > I will try and proof another one but it looks as if the remaining will end
> > up in the land-fill.
>
> It's not your flour. It's your yeast that's gone bad.

That's good. Let it ferment. Remember the smell of Pizza Hut's restaurants in the mid 70's?

On Saturday, January 2, 2021 at 4:15:27 PM UTC-5, bruce bowser wrote:
> On Sunday, December 20, 2020 at 12:05:53 PM UTC-5, wrote:
> > On Sunday, December 20, 2020 at 10:49:44 AM UTC-6, Graham wrote:
> > > I've made plenty of pizza bases with "00" Italian flour that have had a
> > > superb texture - light and crunchy, but not tough.
> > > A few weeks ago I found that the "00" flour in the pantry had passed the
> > > expiry date so I made several bases (after the first fermentation) and
> > > froze them.
> > > I thawed one of them out last night and set it in a warm cupboard to rise a
> > > bit. No reaction! I made the pizza anyway and the crust edges were almost
> > > as hard as concrete.
> > > I will try and proof another one but it looks as if the remaining will end
> > > up in the land-fill.
> >
> > It's not your flour. It's your yeast that's gone bad.
>
> That's good. Let it ferment. Remember the smell of Pizza Hut's restaurants in the mid 70's?

And never forget the olive oil and fennel.