How to cook pizza crust without burning cheese? All you need to know about it

  • By: Emma
  • Date: May 19, 2022
  • Time to read: 6 min.

Table of Contents

How to cook pizza crust without burning cheese?

Pizza is a classic dish that everyone loves, but it can be difficult to make without burning the cheese.

It seems a daunting task for some people, but it’s super easy. You need to be careful of your oven temperature.

Setting the thermostat will ensure that the cheese does not burn.

In this blog post, we will share some other tips on cooking pizza crust without burning the cheese. We will also share a few recipes for pizza that you can try at home. So, if you are looking for a delicious and easy-to-make pizza dish, then keep reading!

What is cheese?

Cheese is a dairy product made from curdling milk with rennet, especially the coagulated substance remaining when the whey is removed.

It was first made in ancient times by the nomadic herdsmen who stored it in their saddlebags as a snack for themselves and their animals.

There are more than 300 varieties of cheese around the world, and most of them have been developed in Europe or North America. Most cheeses are made using cow’s milk, but other types include sheep and goat milk.

Most people like cheese because it has a salty taste, which is why most pizzas in the world use mozzarella as their base cheese.

7 Tips to cook pizza crust without burning cheese

Cheese can burn in a stovetop, oven, or grill, and everyone has experienced this at least once in their lives.

Here are some tips to avoid burning the cheese while preparing a pizza:

Use mozzarella

If you want to make sure that your cheese does not burn, use mozzarella as your base cheese.

Cooking your pizza with this cheese ensures that the burnt taste will not be passed onto the rest of the ingredients.

Preheat your oven

Before placing your pizza in an oven, ensure that it is preheated to ensure that all other ingredients are cooked evenly without burning.

Avoid opening the door repeatedly

Opening the door of your oven repeatedly will cause fluctuations in temperature.

This can cause your cheese to burn because it is exposed to fluctuating temperatures for too long.

Use your oven’s top broil setting

Most ovens nowadays have a function that allows you to quickly cook the upper part of baked goods while leaving the lower part under heat.

This setting is best for cooking pizza crust, so it will ensure that all ingredients are cooked evenly without burning the cheese on top.

Place vegetables beneath the cheese

Parchment paper can help you cook your crust without burning cheese. Since this ingredient does not absorb moisture, it makes an excellent backboard for your pizza dough.

Use parchment paper

Lie the baking tray, lightly oil the paper, and place your dough on top. You can also use olive oil for this.

Add sauce only after baking

If you want to avoid burning the crust, add tomato sauce after baking your dough. This is because the sauce acts as an insulator, so it will prevent your crust and cheese from burning quickly.

How to make cheese at home?

Cheese is mostly made with cow’s milk, but it can also be made using goat’s milk.

This type of cheese is good for those who are lactose intolerant.

Here are steps on how to make cheese at home:

  • Citric acid powder  – 1/2 teaspoon (you can purchase this from most grocery stores). You can also use buttermilk if you cannot find citric acid powder.  You will need 1 cup of milk for every 1/3 ounce of rennet tablet.
  • Pour cold milk into a large saucepan and add the rennet tablet or buttermilk, stirring constantly until it is completely dissolved.
  • Turn on the stove and cook until you see small bubbles form on the surface of the milk. When this happens, place a lid over your saucepan and turn off the stove and set it aside for 5 minutes to allow it to curdle properly.
  • Ladle the mixture into cheesecloth  – line a colander with your cheesecloth, allowing enough of the cloth’s excess to hang over either side.  Pour your mixture into it and tie the opposite corners of the cloth together.
  • Hang this colander above a large bowl or pot (to catch any liquid that drips) for 1-2 hours if you want your cheese to be mild or 3-5 hours if you want your cheese to have a sharp taste.
  • After this time, check for firmness by pressing the cheese with your finger – it should be springy and not too soft.  If the cheese is still very soft, then allow it to hang for a little while longer.
  • When you are satisfied with the taste of your cheese, cut it into cubes and store it in saltwater or brine.

Troubleshooting:

  • If you are lactose intolerant then avoid making cheese at home since the main ingredient used is milk from a cow.  You can purchase lactose-free processed cheeses from grocery stores instead.

6 Incredible facts about cheese you may have never heard before.

  1. There are more than 1500 varieties of cheese and they originated from two sources: animals and plants.
  2. 1 cup of milk makes approximately 1/2 cup of cream and 1/4 gallon of skimmed milk.  The remaining is turned into cheese, butter, and other dairy products.
  3. Queen Victoria was a huge fan of cheese and she ate it daily. A giant wheel of cheese was given to her as a gift of the wedding.
  4. Some cheeses are banned and not permitted to be sold in the US.
  5. There exist cheese caves that are used to store the cheese in favorable conditions.  These caves have a large capacity and can produce a specific type of cheeses for years.
  6. Cheese is an amazing source of nutrients that are vital for our bodies. It contains high levels of calcium, protein, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin B12, riboflavin, etc.

How to store cheese for longer at home?

Storing cheese is not a complicated process if you know some simple tricks. However, avoid storing your cheese near acidic ingredients such as onions since this will cause it to spoil faster.

Here are some tips on how to properly store cheese at home:

  • Wrap sharp-tasting or moldy cheese in aluminum foil. This will keep your cheese away from oxygen and wrapping it in plastic food wrap will allow for minimal air exposure.
  • Store your cheese in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator and not next to fruits since it will spoil quickly when exposed to the ethylene gas produced by these fruits.
  • Remove any cheese that starts to dry and form mold because this may also cause other cheeses to spoil faster.  When storing cheese, place each type in an individual bag or container to avoid flavors from mixing.
  • Store hard cheeses away from soft cheeses since the former will dry out quickly when exposed to high humidity levels.
  • Pour some brine (1 tablespoon of salt to 1 cup of water) over the cheese before you store it in the refrigerator since this will help retain its moisture.

What type of cheese should I use to make pizza?

It would be best to use Mozzarella or other Italian cheeses that go well with other ingredients for making pizzas. You can also experiment with other types though these are not commonly used for this purpose.

If you prefer cheddar cheese, grate it and sprinkle it on top of your pizza after baking it.

Which type of cheese is the healthiest?

Whole milk feta cheese contains the least amount of carbohydrates which is important for people who have diabetes. Other types of healthy cheeses include:

Feta (4 g per slice), Gouda (2 g per slice), Parmesan (5 g per tablespoon), and Swiss (3 g per slice).

What type of cheese should be fed to children?

Children can intake all types of cheese; however, avoid offering sharp or moldy flavors to them.

Why did my cheese get moldy?

This could be due to improper storage conditions since the presence of oxygen will cause mold to grow quickly.  You may also have purchased low-quality or cheap cheese that contains a lot of water, which is perfect for mold to start growing.

Conclusion

In summary, the right oven temperature and placement of the baking pan is the key to baking perfect pizza without burning the cheese.

Happy Baking!

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