whole wheat pizza dough disaster

[sherri]

I made my first pizza dough with the KA white whole wheat flour and it was a disaster. I always make pizza dough with regular white flour and never have a problem. I did it twice and it was a hard as a rock and didn't rise properly. I know it wasn't the yeast because I always check the temp carefully!
So, help me, what did I do wrong?
Does anyone have a recipe for whole wheat pizza dough that has been a success??
I used the cooking light recipe:yeast, 3c. flour and salt.

Thank you!!!!!!!

[SusanT]

Did you use just white whole wheat and no additional white bread flour? If you did, there may not have been enough gluten in the flour to get the crust to rise and develop.

[Julie O]

Did you only use whole wheat flour or did you include some white as well? Most recipes would use no more than 1/2 of the flour as whole wheat. Hope this helps.

[Grace]

I also find that whole wheat flour typically requires more water than refined flour does. You might want to make a softer, stickier dough when you use whole wheat. And I second the recommendation to use part regular/part whole wheat, although Emilycat has mentioned that she has come up with a good recipe using all whole wheat, so perhaps she'll ring in here and share what she knows!

Otherwise, maybe you can do a search with her name and "pizza and dough" and see what you come up with. I know she's posted the recipe once or twice before.

[emilycat]

Here I am! :D

I always make my dough with all whole wheat flour, and I've never had a problem with it rising; it's always really pliable and soft, too. I'm certainly not a bread expert, though, so I'm not sure what the problem could be.
I've just taken RunnerKim's recipe, and adapted it to use all whole wheat flour.

3 cups whole wheat flour (last night I used 2 cups of white whole wheat, and 1 cup of regular for the darker color)
1 cup wrist-temperature water
1 1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. yeast

I just toss it all in the bread machine -- water and salt first, then the flour and the yeast on top, and put it on the dough cycle -- it's awesome every time.
Don't give up on it yet -- I love this stuff!

[sherri]

Thanks emilycat!
We will definitely try it that way...I won't give up!

[Gracie]

I also use 2 tablespoons of vital gluten in my all-whole-wheat pizza dough recipe. it rises better and has a lighter texture.

Loren