I frantically flipped to the recipe section of the book and found one for pizza crust made out of cauliflower. CAULIFLOWER. I ran out immediately to gather ingredients. I was so excited! Everything looked promising in the oven but all I was left with was glorious, saucey, cheesy, meaty pizza toppings laying on a bed of cauliflower goo. FAIL. Been there?
I didn't give up on cauliflower crust as I continued to eat limited wheat and grains but also continued to love pizza. A few months ago I was referred to Danielle Walker and her cookbook, "Against All Grain." Danielle believes in nutritional healing and creates DELICIOUS recipes that are Paleo, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, but never taste-free. Learn more about Danielle HERE
Danielle's cauliflower pizza crust is my favorite crust thus far. It is like the Holy Grail of cauliflower pizza crusts because it does crisp!
Danielle's cauliflower pizza crust is my favorite crust thus far. It is like the Holy Grail of cauliflower pizza crusts because it does crisp!
Follow this link to Danielle's website for the full recipe: Danielle Walker's Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Having tried several recipes in the past, nearly all resulting in mush, I found a common denominator that doesn't exist in Danielle's recipe: mozzarella cheese (and sometimes cream cheese.) I feel what really sets Walker's recipe apart and helps make it crispier than others is that she uses "hard" cheese in the crust instead of "ooey, gooey" cheese. Using a grated cheese like parmesan helps to "dry out" the crust. She also incorporates coconut flour which is gluten-free and won't add more moisture to the dough like a traditional wheat flour.
Having tried several recipes in the past, nearly all resulting in mush, I found a common denominator that doesn't exist in Danielle's recipe: mozzarella cheese (and sometimes cream cheese.) I feel what really sets Walker's recipe apart and helps make it crispier than others is that she uses "hard" cheese in the crust instead of "ooey, gooey" cheese. Using a grated cheese like parmesan helps to "dry out" the crust. She also incorporates coconut flour which is gluten-free and won't add more moisture to the dough like a traditional wheat flour.
Here's how I go about my cauliflower crust-making business. If you want to know my tips read on!
Alison's Steps for executing Danielle Walker's Cauliflower Pizza Crust:
1. Wash cauliflower. Remove florets.
2. I opt not to grate cauliflower as that sounds like a lot of Band-Aids to me. If you have a powerful blender or a food processor, I recommend throwing your cauliflower florets in one of those and pulse and pulverize until you are left with cauliflower that looks as though you have riced it.
3. Recipe calls to steam cauliflower over water. I threw my processed cauliflower into a microwavable steamer (like this one from Pampered Chef) and popped that into the microwave for 3 minutes. No water required. We are trying to eliminate moisture, not add to it. Drain out excess water. Works like a charm!
4. Line a baking sheet with paper towel. Thinly spread steamed cauliflower on top of the paper towel. Let sit for as long as you can let it sit. Getting the most moisture out of the cauliflower as possible while still retaining some moisture is key to getting your crust to crisp. I typically let it rest on the paper towel in the kitchen for a minimum of 20 minutes, at most, an hour.
5. Transfer the strained and drained cauliflower into your mixing bowl and add the rest of your ingredients. I mix with my hands. Give that dough a hearty massage. Treat it right. It will still have a damp feel to it, kind of like fresh, homemade Play Dough before it cools.
6. I do not use parchment paper but that's just because I rarely have it in my house. I do use an aerated pizza pan which helps crisp up the crust. I lightly mist it with olive oil or cooking spray and then use my hands and a greased rolling pin to delicately roll out the crust. I would say I roll it out to about a little less than a quarter of an inch. The thinner, the crispier. However, the thinner it is, the less stable it is. It's a fine balance you just need to sort of play with.
My pizza pan of choice from Air Bake
7. Brush top of crust with olive oil. Bake the crust at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes. WATCH THE CRUST! Depending on how thin you rolled it, the edges may start to burn and if the edges start to blacken, get that baby out of the oven stat. There is such a thing as drying out the crust too much and it won't be able to bear the load of your toppings without breaking in half.
I've found that even when this crust doesn't get crisp-crisp (nothing is perfect,) it still has a nice, al-dente texture that you can cut with a fork which, in my book, is much preferred to spooning a pile of pizza mush into my mouth. Gag.
8. Let the crust cool about 10-15 minutes before loading up your toppings and finishing the pizza off under the broiler for a few.
This crust has such a rich, cheesy flavor that I find the best toppings are classic like meat, tomato sauce, cheese, veggies, etc. I made one last night with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, chicken, zucchini, kalamata olives, basil and feta and it was damn delicious.
I baked this batch in a traditional baking pan to see how that worked.
The crust did not get as crisp but was more al-dente and akin to a flat bread. Still not mushy!
Let me know if these tips end up helping make your cauliflower pizza successful!
