Pizza Hut Pan Pizza's Butter Secrets

Pizza Hut's Pan Pizza is a delicious, thick-crusted pizza that has been a favourite among customers for decades. The secret to its success lies in the preparation of the dough and the use of a well-oiled pan. The dough is made with a combination of dry milk, yeast, salt, sugar, water, oil, and flour, which is then kneaded and allowed to rise. The key to achieving the signature crispy texture of the crust is to generously grease the pan with vegetable oil or butter-flavoured cooking spray before placing the dough in it. This ensures that the bottom of the crust becomes golden brown and crispy.

The Pizza Hut Pan Pizza is then baked in the oven at a high temperature, resulting in a mouth-watering, cheesy delight. The exact amount of butter in each pizza may vary, but it is safe to say that it contains a generous amount, contributing to the indulgent taste and texture that has made it a beloved classic.

The amount of butter in the dough

In the Pizza Hut Pan Pizza recipe, the dough is prepared by combining dry ingredients such as flour, salt, sugar, and dry milk powder. To this mixture, water, oil, and yeast are added, resulting in a soft and smooth dough. The addition of butter, however, is what sets this dough apart.

The inclusion of butter in the dough gives it a rich, buttery flavour and contributes to a flaky, crispy texture. The amount of butter used can vary, but it is typically around 2-4 tablespoons per pizza. This may seem like a small amount, but it is just enough to enhance the dough without making it greasy.

When preparing the dough, it is essential to allow it sufficient time to rise. This step is crucial in developing the light and airy texture characteristic of pan pizza. Once the dough has risen, it is divided into portions and placed in well-oiled pans. This step ensures that the crust will be crispy and golden.

After adding the desired toppings, the pizza is baked in a hot oven until the crust is perfectly browned. The result is a delicious, buttery pan pizza with a crispy exterior and a soft, fluffy interior—a true replica of the Pizza Hut Pan Pizza.

The type of butter used

Pizza Hut uses a variety of different types of butter in their products. In their pan pizzas, they use a buttery blend crust flavour, which contains soybean oil, water, salt, vegetable mono and diglycerides, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (as preservatives), soy lecithin, citric acid, natural flavour, calcium disodium EDTA (to protect flavour), beta carotene (colour), and vitamin A palmitate.

Pizza Hut also uses unsalted butter in their applewood smoked bacon, which is made from pasteurised cream and salt.

How much oil to use in the pan

The amount of oil to use in the pan depends on the size of the pan. For a 9-inch cake pan, you will need about 3 ounces of oil. For a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, you will need to grease the pan with olive oil. The amount of oil used in the pan is crucial to achieving a crispy crust. It is recommended not to skimp on the oil and to use olive oil in the dough itself.

How to get the crust to rise

To get the crust to rise, you need to let the dough rest for a while. This is called proofing. The dough should be covered and left to rest at room temperature for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. The dough should rise dramatically and fill the bowl. In a hot kitchen, the dough may overproof near the end of that range.

After this, sprinkle the top of the dough with some flour and turn it out onto a floured work surface. Divide the dough into two pieces and form each into a ball by holding it with well-floured hands and tucking the dough underneath itself, rotating it until it forms a tight ball.

Pour some olive oil into the bottom of a 10-inch cast iron skillet or a 10-inch round cake pan. Place one ball of dough in each pan and turn to coat evenly with oil. Using a flat palm, press the dough around the pan, flattening it slightly and spreading oil around the entire bottom and edges of the pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough sit at room temperature for 2 hours.

After 2 hours, the dough should be mostly filling the pan up to the edges. Use your fingertips to press it around until it fills in every corner, popping any large bubbles that appear. Lift up one edge of the dough to let any air bubbles underneath escape, then repeat, moving around the dough until there are no air bubbles left underneath and the dough is evenly spread around the pan.

How to make the sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt

Method:

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until blended. Let the sauce sit at room temperature for at least an hour. The sauce can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before using.

Frequently asked questions