Recreating Great Plains whole wheat crust and honey

[mik3jam3s]

I just joined this forum and this is my first post.. So I've been trying to get into home pizza making recently and I'm looking for some tips. My whole life I've been chasing this one pizza I grew up with back in Iowa, at a place called Great Plains. The thick whole wheat crust was just incredible, almost like a fluffy breadstick on the outside, and we'd always pour honey all over the crust end. I've tried a few recipes for whole wheat dough, but it always ends up either too dense or just not rising right. I'm also hoping to find the honey that tastes quite like what they had. It wasn't super dark or super light, just a perfect match for that crust. Anyone have any experience with a similar style or have a secret for a whole wheat dough that rises high and stays fluffy? If anyone here has been to Great Plains, do you know what honey they're using or any ideas on finding one that matches how I described it? Thanks in advance!

 

[_marcopolo]

If you want those soft, puffy edges on your dough, roll it out a bit thicker and fold the edges in before baking. Brush with oil or butter for a nice, golden top. For serving, warm honey is great. some stir in cinnamon or vanilla for a bit more flavor.

 

[GreatFood40]

hi @mik3jam3s I got a couple of tips that you might use. For your whole wheat dough, a lot of people have trouble with it being dense. The secret is to add vital wheat gluten to your flour mix. It makes a world of difference to get that nice, airy rise.
and for the honey, 'not too dark or light' makes me think it could be a simple clover honey. It's the most common kind and has a great, mild flavor that doesn't overpower things. Good luck with the recipe hunt!

 

[kcinwv]

I am a beekeeper, so I might be able to help you with the honey. Most commercially available honey is blended to get the desired flavor. As someone said Clover is the most commonly available honey but that clover is not what you would have in your yard. Red Clover is common grown in pastures but honey bees don't normally get nectar from it because the bees proboscis is too short to reach in the red Clover bloom easily. There are other clovers that bees use the nectar from but most are either biennial or annual bloom. A large portion of this honey is made from the Sweet Yellow or Sweet White varieties of clover.
Most commercially available honey is also heated to retard granulation. This heating destroys the enzymes that give honey all of the health benefits and fresh taste. Find a local beekeeper that has just a few hives and get some of their honey to sample. You will find the flavors are much more pleasing.

 

[diana atkins]

@mik3jam3s I'm all for the dough, try mixing whole wheat with some bread flour, it'll keep it light while still maintaining the nutty flavor and also leaving it to ferment longer also works wonders

 

[East Point Pizza]

I am a beekeeper, so I might be able to help you with the honey. Most commercially available honey is blended to get the desired flavor. As someone said Clover is the most commonly available honey but that clover is not what you would have in your yard. Red Clover is common grown in pastures but honey bees don't normally get nectar from it because the bees proboscis is too short to reach in the red Clover bloom easily. There are other clovers that bees use the nectar from but most are either biennial or annual bloom. A large portion of this honey is made from the Sweet Yellow or Sweet White varieties of clover.
Most commercially available honey is also heated to retard granulation. This heating destroys the enzymes that give honey all of the health benefits and fresh taste. Find a local beekeeper that has just a few hives and get some of their honey to sample. You will find the flavors are much more pleasing.

This is super interesting! I've been experimenting with honey-drizzled pizza crusts and noticed big flavor differences between jars. If I find a local beekeeper, how do I know which clover variety their bees are using? And does raw honey bake differently than the store-bought kind when used in dough or glazes?

 

[kcinwv]

This is super interesting! I've been experimenting with honey-drizzled pizza crusts and noticed big flavor differences between jars. If I find a local beekeeper, how do I know which clover variety their bees are using? And does raw honey bake differently than the store-bought kind when used in dough or glazes?

The recipes for cooking with honey would be the same. As far as the varieties of honey, first ask the beekeeper if they have a patch of clover they put out for the bees. They might be planting for their bees or move the hives to a location for it. Don't be afraid to try varital honeys from beekeepers. I personally prefer the darker honeys except for Basswood/Lynden which is a light honey with a slight minty flavor.

 

[Lmfb13]

I have been attempting to recreate this for 10 years OP. Beau Jo’s copycat is the closest I’ve been able to do. I’ve called the owner of Great Plains multiple times begging for the recipe but they never give it up haha