Quad Cities-Style Malt Dough
A Davenport-native clone of Quad Cities pizza, this lean bread-flour dough runs a stiff ~50% hydration and trades sugar for a heavy 8% pour of dark malt syrup, which gives the crust its signature color and toasty sweetness. Cold water and a long, cool rise suit the style, which is dressed to the edge and cut into strips.
A Davenport-native clone of Quad Cities pizza, this lean bread-flour dough runs a stiff ~50% hydration and trades sugar for a heavy 8% pour of dark malt syrup, which gives the crust its signature color and toasty sweetness. Cold water and a long, cool rise suit the style, which is dressed to the edge and cut into strips.
Ingredients
Method
Premix the cold water, malt syrup, oil and yeast until the malt is dissolved.
Add the liquids to the flour and salt and mix to a stiff, low-hydration dough; this is a heavy dough, so a strong mixer or patient hand kneading helps.
Let it roughly double, then divide into two balls and refrigerate to cold-ferment for a day or more (the style works easier and tastes better cold-proofed).
Roll each ball out thin (a rolling pin suits this dressed-to-the-edge style) and top all the way to the rim.
Bake hot, around 550 F for about 6 to 7 minutes, then cut into strips in the traditional Quad Cities pattern.
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