Emma Wilson
Mellow Mushroom is a popular pizza chain known for its unique crust, which has a subtle sweet taste and a perfect texture. The secret to their crust lies in the use of molasses instead of sugar, giving it a darker colour and a more complex flavour. While the chain has not disclosed its pizza dough recipe, dedicated fans have attempted to recreate it at home, experimenting with various ingredients and baking methods to achieve the signature Mellow Mushroom crust. In addition to the use of molasses, some enthusiasts suggest using spring water, specific types of flour, and adding butter or oil to replicate the taste and texture of Mellow Mushroom's crust.
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What You'll Learn
Mellow Mushroom pizza crust ingredients
Mellow Mushroom's pizza crust has a subtle sweet taste and a perfect texture. While it looks like it's made with whole wheat flour, it is actually made with a blend of white and wheat flour. The secret behind its darker colour and complex flavour is the use of molasses instead of sugar. Molasses feeds the yeast in the dough, giving it a unique texture, flavour, and colour.
The dough also contains water, oil, and salt. Some people have experimented with making the dough at home, substituting butter for oil and using different types of flour, such as Caputo blue flour or heirloom flour. However, it is important to note that Mellow Mushroom's pizza dough is certified vegan, so butter, which is a dairy product, cannot be used in the crust.
The water used in the dough is also said to be a single-source Appalachian spring water, although some people believe that the impact of local water on the dough's quality may be overstated. The dough is prepared with a mixer or by hand, and it is left to rise before being baked to achieve the perfect blend of crisp and chewy texture.
Overall, the unique combination of ingredients and preparation techniques contributes to the distinctive taste and texture of Mellow Mushroom's pizza crust, making it a favourite among many pizza enthusiasts.
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Recreating Mellow Mushroom pizza at home
Mellow Mushroom's signature crust and fun toppings can be recreated at home. The key to replicating the chain's pizza crust is using molasses instead of sugar, and olive oil or butter in place of canola oil. Here is a guide on how to do it:
Ingredients
- Water
- Olive oil or butter
- Molasses
- Flour (bread machine flour or Caputo blue flour)
- Gluten
- Yeast (a bread machine yeast or instant yeast)
- Salt
- Cornmeal
- Garlic butter
- Parmesan cheese
Method
- Combine water, olive oil or butter, and molasses in a bowl.
- In a stand mixer, combine flour, gluten, yeast, and salt.
- Add the water mixture to the flour mixture and mix on low for 30-60 seconds until combined.
- Switch to medium speed and knead for 12-15 minutes.
- Form the dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 2 hours, or in the refrigerator overnight.
- Cut the dough in half and roll each piece into a tight ball.
- Allow the dough to rest covered for 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven and pizza stone to at least 450°F-550°F for at least half an hour before baking.
- Form each dough ball into a crust by stretching the dough with your hands while rotating it.
- Roll out the dough on a floured and cornmealed surface or parchment paper.
- Top the dough with your desired toppings.
- Slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone and bake for 5-7 minutes or until done.
- Brush the crust with garlic butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese immediately after removing from the oven.
Toppings
For a true Mellow Mushroom experience, top your pizza with an olive oil and garlic base, mozzarella, chicken, red onion, and feta. If you're feeling adventurous, try their Holy Shiitake pizza with mushroom toppings or their Mellowterranean pizza.
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Mellow Mushroom pizza crust taste
Mellow Mushroom's pizza crust has a subtle sweet taste and a perfect texture. The secret ingredient is molasses, which replaces the sugar that is usually added to feed the yeast in the dough. The molasses give the crust a darker colour and adds a more complex flavour. The crust is also rumoured to be made with single-source Appalachian spring water, although some have disputed the importance of this ingredient.
The recipe for the crust yields a perfect blend of crisp and chewy. It is made with a blend of white and wheat flour, and the dough is sticky and requires a lot of flour when rolling it out. The dough is also brushed with garlic butter and sprinkled with parmesan cheese when it comes out of the oven, which adds to the flavour.
Some people have tried to recreate the Mellow Mushroom crust at home with varying degrees of success. One person claimed to have "cracked the code" for the crust by using a specific flour/water ratio and adding ingredients like bread machine yeast, molasses, melted butter, and salt. They also brushed their crust with garlic butter and sprinkled it with parmesan, which is consistent with what others have said about the Mellow Mushroom crust.
Another person shared a recipe for a Mellow Mushroom copycat crust that includes cornmeal, flour, salt, instant yeast, water, olive oil, and molasses. They also recommend using spring water instead of tap water to more closely replicate Mellow Mushroom's crust. This recipe has been described as "surprisingly close" to the actual Mellow Mushroom crust.
Overall, the Mellow Mushroom pizza crust has a unique and complex flavour that has attracted a dedicated fan base. The combination of molasses, spring water, and other ingredients creates a crust that is both crisp and chewy, with a subtle sweetness and a perfect texture.
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Mellow Mushroom pizza crust texture
Mellow Mushroom's pizza crust has a signature texture that is often described as the perfect blend of crisp and chewy. The secret to achieving this texture lies in the ingredients used and the baking process.
The Mellow Mushroom crust is made with a unique blend of flours, including unbromated unbleached wheat flour and possibly heirloom flour. The type of flour used contributes to the crust's texture, giving it a subtle chewiness without being dense. The addition of gluten also aids in achieving the desired chewy texture.
One key ingredient that sets Mellow Mushroom's crust apart is the use of molasses. Molasses replaces the traditional sugar in the dough, feeding the yeast and allowing the dough to rise. It gives the crust a darker colour and adds a subtle sweetness and complexity to the overall flavour profile. The amount of yeast used is also worth noting, as some recipes call for two teaspoons of bread machine yeast, which is slightly higher than typical.
The baking process also plays a crucial role in achieving the desired crust texture. Using a pizza stone or a pan with holes ensures a crisp bottom crust. Brushing the crust with garlic butter immediately after removing it from the oven adds a layer of flavour and texture. Additionally, dusting the cooking surface with cornmeal before baking can help replicate the restaurant-style crust at home.
The texture of Mellow Mushroom's pizza crust is a defining characteristic that has gained a loyal following. Its crisp yet chewy nature, combined with a subtle sweetness, makes it a unique and memorable part of the Mellow Mushroom pizza experience.
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Mellow Mushroom pizza crust preparation
Mellow Mushroom's pizza crust has a subtle sweet taste and a perfect texture. The secret to its unique flavour is the use of molasses in place of sugar, which also gives the crust a darker colour. The dough is certified vegan, so it contains oil instead of butter.
To prepare the dough, you can use a bread machine or a Kitchenaid. The recipe is said to work well with a home oven and baking steel, as the sugar and oil in the crust mean the temperature must be kept fairly low to prevent burning.
One recipe for Mellow Mushroom pizza crust yields two 250g balls of dough at 65% hydration. The ingredients include:
- Two teaspoons of bread machine yeast
- One tablespoon of molasses
- Half a tablespoon of melted butter
- One teaspoon of salt
- Flour and water (amounts calculated using the Ooni calculator)
After baking, the crust can be brushed with garlic butter and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
Some variations on this recipe include substituting honey for molasses and using regular tap water instead of spring water. One person who tried this recipe found that they needed to add more flour to prevent stickiness.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Mellow Mushroom does not appear to offer stuffed crust pizza. However, they are well-known for their delicious, unique crust.
The crust has a subtle sweet taste and a perfect texture. It is said to be made with whole wheat flour but is, in fact, a blend of white and wheat flour.
The secret is in the use of molasses instead of sugar, giving the crust a darker colour and a more complex flavour.
Yes, the pizza dough is certified vegan. The crust is made with oil, not butter, so it is dairy-free.
