Deep dish pizza crust

Abstract

A fully baked, deep dish pizza crust is provided having a water activity in the range of about 0.9 to about 0.95. The deep dish pizza crust is ideally suited for use in a refrigerated, ready-to-eat pizza kit. The deep dish pizza crust is of a convenient size and shape (generally square and about 4 by about 4 by about 0.75 in. deep) and is especially adapted as a single serving or snack food product. Also provided is a kit for preparing ready-to-eat deep dish pizza, the kit including one or more deep dish pizza crusts, pizza sauce, cheese, and one or more pizza toppings. The deep dish pizza crusts are designed so that they can be nested so as to reduce the volume requirements in the kit. Each of the components of the pizza kit, including the deep dish pizza crusts, is hermetically sealed from the other food items to substantially retard or prevent flavor, moisture, and microbial migration from one food item to another. The deep dish pizza crusts retain a soft, desirable texture throughout their anticipated shelf lives.

1 - 12 . (canceled)  
   
   
       13 . A fully or partially baked, deep dish pizza crust comprising a base layer and outwardly slanted side walls completely around the base layer to form nestable deep dish pizza crust; wherein the fully or partially baked, deep dish pizza crust has a water activity of about 0.9 to about 0.95; wherein the fully or partially baked, deep dish pizza crust is prepared from a pizza dough comprising, in baker's percentages, about 100 pounds of flour, about 5.0 to about 15.0 pounds sweetener, about 7.5 to about 17.5 pounds butter chips, about 1.5 to about 3.5 pounds salt, about 1.0 to about 2.25 pounds dough relaxer, about 0.5 to about 5.0 pounds yeast, about 1.0 to about 6.0 pounds shortening, 0.4 to about 2.0 pounds monoglycerides and diglycerides, about 0 to about 2.0 pounds dried egg whites, about 0 to about 0.5 pounds sodium stearoyl lactylate, about 0 to about 0.5 pounds calcium propionate, about 0.2 to about 0.4 pounds alpha amylase enzyme, about 0 to about 0.3 pounds guar gum, about 53 to about 63 pounds water, and about 0 to about 1.0 pounds spices and seasonings; wherein the fully or partially baked, deep dish pizza crust maintains its water activity at about 0.9 to about 0.95 when hermetically sealed without the accompaniment of an anti-fogging agent and stored at refrigeration temperatures, for periods of at least about 75 days.  
   
   
       14 . The pizza crust as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the base layer is a rectangle having a first dimension of about 3.4 to about 3.6 in., a second dimension of about 3.4 to about 3.6 in., and a thickness of about 5 to about 9 mm; wherein the side walls have a thickness of about 5 to about 9 mm and a height of about 1.5 to 3.0 in. and form a top rim on the side walls of similar rectangular shape as the base layer and having a first dimension about 4.1 to 4.4 in. and second dimension about 4.1 to 4.4 in.  
   
   
       15 . The pizza crust as defined in  claim 14 , wherein both the base layer and the top rim are essentially square.  
   
   
       16 . The pizza crust as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the pizza crust is prepared from bread dough comprising, in baker's percentages, about 100 pounds flour, about 8.0 to about 12.0 pounds sweetener, about 10.5 to about 14.5 butter chips, about 2.0 to about 3.0 pounds salt, about 2.0 to about 2.25 pounds dough relaxer, about 2.5 to about 3.5 pounds yeast, about 2.0 to about 4.0 pounds shortening, about 0.5 to about 1.5 pounds monoglycerides and diglycerides, about 0.75 to about 1.5 pounds dried egg whites, about 0.4 to about 0.5 pounds sodium stearoyl lactylate, about 0.4 to about 0.5 pounds calcium propionate, about 0.3 to about 0.35 pounds alpha amylase enzyme, about 0.15 to about 0.25 pounds guar gum, about 54 to about 60 pounds water, and about 0.3 to about 0.4 pounds spices and seasonings.  
   
   
       17 . The pizza crust as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the pizza crust is prepared from bread dough comprising, in baker's percentages, about 100 pounds flour, about 10.0 pounds high fructose corn syrup, about 12.5 pounds butter chips, about 2.5 pounds salt, about 2.25 pounds dough relaxer, about 3.0 pounds yeast, about 3.0 pounds soy bean oil, about 1.0 pounds monoglycerides and diglycerides, about 1.0 pound dried egg white, about 0.5 pounds sodium stearoyl lactylate, about 0.45 pounds calcium propionate, about 0.32 pounds alpha amylase enzyme, about 0.22 pounds guar gum, about 54 to about 60 pounds water, and about 0.35 pounds granulated garlic.  
   
   
       18 . A kit comprising: 
 an outer package; and    a farinaceous food product capable of maintaining a soft, chewable texture for an extended shelf life at refrigerated temperatures;    wherein the farinaceous food product is prepared from a dough comprising, in baker's percentages, about 100 pounds of flour, about 5.0 to about 15.0 pounds sweetener, about 7.5 to about 17.5 pounds butter chips, about 1.5 to about 3.5 pounds salt, about 1.0 to about 2.25 pounds dough relaxer, about 0.5 to about 5.0 pounds yeast, about 1.0 to about 6.0 pounds shortening, 0.4 to about 2.0 pounds monoglycerides and diglycerides, about 0 to about 2.0 pounds dried egg whites, about 0 to about 0.5 pounds sodium stearoyl lactylate, about 0 to about 0.5 pounds calcium propionate, about 0.2 to about 0.4 pounds alpha amylase enzyme, about 0 to about 0.3 pounds guar gum, about 53 to about 63 pounds water, and about 0 to about 1.0 pounds spices and seasonings; wherein the farinaceous food product has a soft texture which can be maintained, when hermetically sealed and stored at refrigeration temperatures, for periods of at least about 75 days; and wherein the kit does not contain an anti-fogging agent.    
   
   
       19 . The kit of  claim 18 , wherein the farinaceous food product includes a base having an outer edge extending thereabout, and include sides extending outwardly and upwardly from the base outer edge for allowing a plurality of food product to be nested.  
   
   
       20 . The kit of  claim 18 , wherein the farinaceous food product is a deep dish pizza crust, and the kit further includes additional pizza components for being placed on the crust with the sides keeping the pizza components in place on the crust.  
   
   
       21 . The kit of  claim 20 , further comprising proteinaceous food products.  
   
   
       22 . The kit of  claim 20 , wherein the additional components are in individual, sealed packages within the outer package.  
   
   
       23 . The kit of  claim 22 , further comprising a container including a beverage therein.