FOOD NEWS
The Unanticipated Sweet Touch You Need For More Flavorful Pizza Dough
BY MATTHEW SPINA
You may not think that the crust is the best part of pizza, but it can make or break an entire pie. One ingredient that can instantly improve the foundation of your pizza is sugar.
Sugar tenderizes pizza dough, making it softer, while adding a hint of flavor. You have to be sparing, as too much can interrupt the gluten bonds that hold the dough together.
Sugar adds a bit of sweet complexity that still keeps your dough tasting neutral. This not only improves the taste of your pizza dough, but also helps your crust brown better.
The sweetener boosts the Maillard reaction by augmenting the sugars naturally found in flour, which creates extra flavorful browning. Just remember to use it with a light hand.