Name: Thin-Crust Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough
Total time: 18 h 30 min
Ingredients: 1½ cups (8¼ ounces/234 grams) whole-wheat flour; 1 cup (5½ ounces/156 grams) bread flour; 2 teaspoons honey; 3/4 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast; 1¼ cups ice water; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1¾ teaspoon salt

Why This Recipe Works

Most whole-wheat pizza crust is as dry and dense as cardboard. We wanted to find a way to make it as crisp and chewy as traditional pizza crust and highlight its nutty, wheaty flavor. For balanced whole-wheat flavor, we used a combination of 60 percent whole-wheat flour and 40 percent bread flour. To help hydrate the hearty whole-wheat flour, we increased the amount of water. Our highly hydrated dough helped strengthen the gluten network, and using ice water kept the dough from overheating as it was kneaded in the food processor. Giving the dough a long rest gave the enzymes in the dough time to slightly weaken the gluten strands, increasing the dough's ability to stretch; the rest also allowed for more flavor-boosting fermentation. Finally, because our dough was so wet, preheating the pizza stone under the broiler's high heat was key for getting a nicely browned crust.

Before You Begin

King Arthur brand bread flour works best in this recipe.

Instructions

Pulse whole-wheat flour, bread flour, honey, and yeast in food processor to combine, about 5 pulses. With processor running, slowly add ice water and process until dough is just combined and no dry flour remains, about 10 seconds. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.

Add oil and salt to dough and process until it forms satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of workbowl, 45 to 60 seconds. Transfer dough to lightly oiled counter and knead until smooth, about 1 minute. Shape dough into tight ball and place in large lightly oiled bowl. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 18 hours or up to 2 days.