Just a flour question

[b0neblossoms]

I've been trying to make pizza at home using 0 flour, but the crust doesn't turn golden, it stays pale unless I use very high heat. I used to use 00 flour and thought 0 flour might make the dough stronger, but now I'm not sure. Any tips to help the crust brown better? Or should I go back to 00 flour?

 

[InfernoPie]

00 flour contains more protein, making it stronger but it doesn't brown as easily. To enhance browning, consider adding a little sugar or honey. Alternatively, you can go with 00 flour for a nicer color at lower temps.

 

[pitzuhqueen]

0 flour usually has a bit more protein than 00, which gives strength but doesn't brown as easily. The pale crust is pretty normal unless you bake hotter
Here are a couple of tricks you could try: add a pinch of sugar or malted barley flour to boost browning, or brush the edge with a little olive oil before baking. If you liked the color and texture you got with 00, you can always go back, it's milled finer and tends to caramelize nicer at lower temps

 

[JoePizza]

I've been trying to make pizza at home using 0 flour, but the crust doesn't turn golden, it stays pale unless I use very high heat. I used to use 00 flour and thought 0 flour might make the dough stronger, but now I'm not sure. Any tips to help the crust brown better? Or should I go back to 00 flour?

Perhaps a lower hydration?

 

[WoodfiredInPeoria]

You can add sugar to get browning, but you can also let the yeast (and bacteria) "make it's own sugar" from the starches during a longer ferment. I can make "last minute" dough for a party the same day (when I find out more folks are coming than I planned for) , but it never performs as well as the dough I make the day ahead and cold ferment overnight (typically from 9pm the night before until 2:30pm the next day for a 5:30 party).

 

[GreatFood40]

@b0neblossoms 00 and 0 are both fine Italian flours, but the primary difference for home bakers is often a key ingredient, which is malted flour.
Many popular American flours (like all purpose or bread flour) contain malted barley flour, which has enzymes that break down starches into sugars, helping with browning (the Maillard reaction).
00 flour is specifically designed for high heat pizza ovens (like those in Naples) and is typically unmalted because the intense heat does all the browning in a very short bake time. 0 flour can be a bit of a hybrid, but it often lacks the malted ingredients that give you good browning in a home oven

 

[pizzahut]

yh, 0 flour has less of the fine milling that 00 does, so it won't brown as easily at moderate temps, touch of sugar or malt in the dough can help with color, or just stick with higher heat if your oven allows

 

[elques0]

0 flour usually has a bit more protein than 00, which gives strength but doesn't brown as easily. The pale crust is pretty normal unless you bake hotter
Here are a couple of tricks you could try: add a pinch of sugar or malted barley flour to boost browning, or brush the edge with a little olive oil before baking. If you liked the color and texture you got with 00, you can always go back, it's milled finer and tends to caramelize nicer at lower temps

Thanks for this! does the sugar or malt affect flavor much? And how much olive oil do you brush on? I usually bake at 500 deg F on a steel, but still want that golden edge.