The Best Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Probably about a year ago, I posted a recipe for 100% Whole Wheat Pizza Crust.  Until recently, I used that recipe a lot.  Then I discovered how fluffy the crust becomes when I substitute some of the whole wheat flour for bread flour.  In my opinion, it's totally worth it for the crust not to be 100% whole wheat.  It's still mainly whole wheat, and my husband raves about this crust.

The Best Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

makes 4 large pizza crusts

Ingredients:

2 tsp sugar

2 tbsp active dry yeast

3 c warm water

2 tsp salt

2 tbsp olive oil

5 c whole wheat flour

2 c bread flour

Method:

Pour water into a large bowl.  Dissolve sugar in water.  Sprinkle yeast over water and set a kitchen timer for 10 minutes.  At this point, yeast should be foamy.  Add salt and olive oil.  Then add 4 cups whole wheat flour and 2 cups bread flour.  Mix until dough starts to form.

Switch to dough hook, and add 1 cup whole wheat flour.  Knead dough until all the flour has been incorporated and dough becomes elastic. 

Spray the mixer bowl with cooking spray.  Form the dough into a ball and put the dough back inside the mixer bowl.  Cover the bowl with a towel and put it in a warm place to rise.  Usually the counter is warm enough. Set a timer for an hour.

At this point the dough should be doubled in size.  Remove dough from bowl and separate into 4 equal parts.  Form four dough balls and place the balls in four separate oiled (I use cooking spray) bowls.  Cover the bowls with a towel and place in a warm place.  (You can leave it on the counter if the kitchen is warm, or you can put it in the oven on the lowest setting.) Set the timer for 45 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll out to your desired size.  Each dough ball makes a large thin-crust pizza.  Wrap the extra dough balls in plastic wrap or put each dough ball in sandwich-size Ziplock bags in the refrigerator.  If you want to stock up on dough for later, you can put the sandwich-size bags or plastic-wrapped dough inside a larger freezer bag in the freezer.  When ready to use the crust, defrost overnight and set on the counter for a half-hour before rolling out to get the crust up to room temperature.