Process of forming dough on a corrugated paperboard preform

Abstract

Proofed dough is formed into pizza crusts which am formed and frozen without baking. The dough is positioned on corrugated paperboard preforms within a tray having multiple circular openings. The preforms have sidewardly opening corrugations. The trays are conveyed through the forming apparatus in a continuous process, with formed crusts being removed and fresh preforms being inserted. The preforms are positioned in a rectangular array within the openings in the conveyed tray. A quantity of raw dough is positioned on each preform within the tray. The dough is conveyed on the preforms beneath a bank of high pressure forming dies. The dies are pressed into the openings within the tray and over the dough to form the dough into the desired pizza crust shape. Each die extends between the preform and the tray within the opening to force portions of the dough into the preform corrugations to thereby secure the formed dough to the preform. The dough which extends into the corrugations locks the crust in place, retaining the desired shape until the dough is processed on the preform through a freezer. The crust is never subjected to baking, and thus the yeast within the dough is not killed prior to being supplied to the baker, resulting in a frozen pizza or pizza crust which has substantial attributes of a fresh pizza. Backing sheets with holes may be formed to the crust for oven rack baking. Bread sticks, rolls, and other formed bread products may also be formed.