Frozen pizza dough is great to have on hand for easy pizza nights during the week. But thawing still takes time. Here's how to speed up the process without sacrificing quality.
Thawing Pizza Dough in Cold Water
Seal the frozen dough in an airtight food-storage bag and submerge it in a bowl of cold water. Change the water every 15 minutes; it takes about 15 minutes to thaw 1 pound of dough.
Thawing Pizza Dough With Heat
You can use heat to thaw frozen dough under controlled conditions, but you have to combine it with the dough's second rise so it bakes evenly. High-volume bakeries and pizza joints use proofing cabinets—heated cabinets that hold dough at around 130 degrees Fahrenheit—to thaw dough and start its second rise.
To recreate these conditions at home, unwrap the frozen dough and coat it with a thin layer of oil. Place the dough in a pan, cover, and place it in the oven with a pan of boiling water. Heat the oven on the warm setting for 2 minutes; then turn it off. Proofing time varies. Take the dough from the oven when it doubles in size.