Pizza dough and bread dough have a similar appearance and share the same basic ingredients, but they differ in several ways and produce different results when prepared and cooked. What distinguishes pizza dough from bread dough? In their purest forms, pizza dough and bread dough share the same basic components (such as flour, yeast, water, and salt). The two differ in the way the doughs are handled and proofed, producing two distinct outcomes.
Although there are many different bread dough and pizza dough recipes, we will go over the fundamental instructions for each so that you can easily understand the distinctive qualities of either!
Bread Dough Vs Pizza Dough — Ingredients
The ingredients for basic bread dough and pizza dough are the same: flour, water, salt, and a leavening agent (such as yeast or a sourdough starter). Both can include oil, which makes the dough a little chewier and softens it a little more. Depending on the recipe, bread dough may also include optional extras. To change the flavor or texture of bread dough, add eggs, butter, milk, and other ingredients. However, these ingredients are not commonly used in pizza dough.
While the ingredients are similar, the amounts used in the recipes can vary. The main distinction is that bread dough has a higher hydration content, or the amount of water in comparison to flour. Bread dough has a higher hydration level, which makes it more flexible and allows it to rise more easily and quickly. It also causes the bread to develop more holes and become lighter on the inside while remaining crisp on the outside.
A higher hydration content allows for crispier pizza dough, but too much makes shaping the pizza dough difficult. Bread dough has a hydration content of up to 90%, whereas pizza dough has a hydration content of 50%-70%. The amount of hydration required will also be determined by the length of time the dough will be cooked.
Because bread dough cooks for a longer period of time, it requires more moisture to withstand the longer dehydration, whereas pizza dough cooks for a shorter period of time and thus does not require as much moisture.
Bread Dough Vs Pizza Dough — How They’re Made
Both bread dough and pizza dough must be prepared differently after the ingredients have been combined. Pizza dough only needs to be kneaded for 1 to 5 minutes.
This gives the dough just enough time to form a smooth ball without making it too heavy or giving it holes when it is cooked. A thin pizza base, unlike bread, is produced by the quick kneading process. Longer kneading of bread dough helps the gluten to stretch and develop. The alignment of the protein strands traps air, causing the dough to rise. Additionally, the bread becomes denser after a longer kneading period while remaining fluffy and light.
Either dough is then allowed to ferment and rise after having been properly worked for the designated amount of time. The dough can be fermented to give it more flavor and to create pockets of gas that help the dough rise. The pizza dough is formed into balls and given another chance to rise after having been allowed to rise for a predetermined period of time before being formed into the pizza base.
Bread dough can be allowed to rise two or three times, being pounded down in between. This contributes to a more uniform bubble size and distribution throughout the bread dough, resulting in a lighter, more airy loaf of bread. When the dough has sufficiently risen, it is shaped, put into the bread pan it will be baked in, and given one last rise before going into the oven.
Bread Dough Vs Pizza Dough — Cooking
There is a difference in how pizza dough and bread dough are cooked, and this difference is due to both temperature and cooking time. Because thicker bread dough does not tolerate high temperatures well, it is cooked at a lower temperature than pizza dough. You don’t want the crust to burn before the bread cooks through! The bread dough bakes slower at a lower temperature; the outside crisps up, but there is no uncooked dough in the center.
Pizza dough is cooked for a shorter period of time at a higher temperature. When cooking pizza dough in a wood-fired pizza oven, it is exposed to high temperatures so quickly that it can cook in 60 seconds. In a home oven, you cook pizza dough at a high temperature so that the thin dough forms a crisp crust on the outside and a fully cooked, moist dough on the inside.
Bread Dough Vs Pizza Dough — Taste
Pizza dough and bread dough share a similar flavor, but the two are very different in terms of texture and thickness. If the ingredients for both the bread and the pizza are the same, then the finished products will taste very similar. However, the pizza dough will be thinner and crispier, while the bread dough will be thicker and airier.
Because of the fermentation process that occurs when bread dough rises, the taste and aroma of the finished product become more yeasty and fermented the longer it is allowed to rise. Bread’s flavor can be altered slightly by adding things like eggs, butter, and seasonings to the dough. It’s no secret that pizza dough absorbs the flavors of its toppings, like tomato sauce and cheese.
Can Pizza Dough Be Used To Make Bread?
Pizza dough can be used to make bread, and there won’t be much of a difference since they are both made from the same ingredients. Like bread dough, pizza dough can be shaped, proofed, and baked for an extended period of time. Burger buns, loaves of bread, focaccia, and many other types of bread can all be made with pizza dough. Even before baking, you can add different ingredients to the pizza dough to give it more flavor, which again expands your options for what to make.
Can Bread Dough Be Used To Make Pizza?
In some cases, bread dough can be used to make pizza, as long as it contains no ingredients other than the essentials. If the bread dough contains eggs, milk, butter, or a lot of sugar, these extra ingredients can cause the pizza to burn instead of properly cook, so it’s not worth using enriched bread dough to make pizza. To make pizza, only use basic bread dough — don’t let it rise for too long, and don’t have a high hydration content, which can make it difficult to shape and form into a pizza base.
Are Bread Dough And Pizza Dough The Same?
Although the ingredients and methods used to make bread dough and pizza dough are similar, they are not the same. Despite the fact that they are different, there are some situations where you can substitute one for the other and still get good results. While flour, salt, water, and a leavening agent are the basic ingredients for both bread dough and pizza dough, the kneading and proofing procedures, as well as the cooking times, vary from those ingredients. The amounts of the basic ingredients also vary, with bread dough having a higher hydration content than pizza dough because it needs more time to cook.
Bread Dough Vs Pizza Dough — Final Thoughts
Understanding the distinctions between bread dough and pizza dough will be extremely useful in the kitchen. Making your own dough at home is a rewarding experience, and you’ll want to make sure you’re making the right dough for what you’re baking. Read through everything above to better understand the differences between bread dough and pizza dough, and whether they can be used interchangeably!
Related Questions
Now that we’ve learned all about pizza dough and bread dough, here are some additional questions that we thought you might have.
What is the difference between bread flour and pizza flour?
The amount of gluten in bread flour and pizza flour is the primary distinction. When you knead and work with dough, gluten develops.
The difference in flour is necessary because pizza calls for more gluten than regular bread.
What flour is good for pizza?
Although there are many different types of flour, wheat flour type “00” is the best and most widely used for making pizza. This is the best ingredient to use to make thin, crisp pizza dough because it contains 11%–12% protein.