The Square Zip has been a labor of love and we are beyond excited that it has joined our menu full-time! We were inspired by Detroit-style pizza and wanted to find a way to offer a similar crust to our customers that bakes in under 3 minutes, just like our other options. We spent a lot of time in the test kitchen trying out different types of flour, cheeses, oils, and pan sizes to develop this crust. We even ordered custom square pans to ensure we were getting the right, personal size.
While this crust is different from the rolled, circular pizzas we’re known for, we wanted to keep the ordering process for customers the same. We achieved this by waking up a little earlier to make the dough first thing in the morning. After it proofs in oiled pans, we add cheese and send it through the oven for its first bake. When we finish building your pizza, it goes through the oven for its second bake, leading to…
Those cripsy edges you see aren’t burnt in the traditional sense — rather, they are made from deeply caramelized* cheese. They help give this pan pizza some structure and an incredible crunch. We love that the shape of the Square Zip results in four crispy corners on each pizza.
*Technically this occurs through a process called the Maillard reaction which occurs when amino acids and "reducing sugars" such as lactose are heated. True caramelization occurs at a higher temperature and when overdone begins to leave behind carbon. This is why an over-browned crème brûlée or burnt marshmallow become black and bitter.
Also known as the inside texture. We use a high hydration dough for the Square Zip which we make and proof (rise) each morning. After it finishes proofing, we add our 3 blend cheese all the way to the edges and send it through the oven for its first bake. This is crucial for the crispy edges mentioned above and for setting the internal structure of the dough. A cross section reveals a large, airy cell structure which helps give this crust its fluffy inside.
Some of the best things in life are fried and this crust is no exception. We lightly oil our pans and place fresh dough inside. This helps it expand along the bottom during the proofing process and, when it goes through the oven, it adds about 1/16″ of fried, crispy deliciousness to the bottom. We’ve been using the Perfect Crust pizza liner to make sure this crust stays as crispy as possible.
With this crust, cheese goes on top. This elevates it in the oven allowing it to pick up some golden brown spots. It also helps hold all of your toppings together when you go to take a big bite. We found a delicious 3-cheese blend that combines the sharpness of cheddar with a bit of creaminess that works perfectly for the Square Zip.