This delicious gluten free and vegan pizza crust has crispy edges and a fluffy, soft middle!
Add your flour to a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the flour mixture, then add the one teaspoon of sugar and the yeast to the well.
Warm the seltzer water in the microwave until it is 118 degrees Fahrenheit. (Be sure to stir before checking the temperature as hot spots can occur.) Pour the warm seltzer water into the well in the flour, then let stand for about five minutes, until nice and bubbly.
Stir together with a sturdy spatula or a large spoon. (The dough will be quite firm.) Add the sugar, salt, and olive oil, but do NOT stir them in yet.
After 30 minutes, you will beat the sugar, oil, and salt into the dough. If you are using a hand mixer with dough hooks, beat on high speed for three minutes. If you are using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat on medium-high speed for two minutes. Cover the bowl again, and this time let the dough rise for an hour.
While the dough is on its second rise, trace the shape of your pizza stone onto parchment paper. (One batch of dough will make two rounds or one large rectangle.)
Just before you shape the dough, remove the upper rack in your oven, and place the lower rack in the second lowest position. Place your pizza stone (or upside down baking sheet) on the rack, and preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. (Note: These directions assume you have five slots for the racks in your oven like mine does. Adjust accordingly if your oven is different.)
After the second rise, stir the dough down with a sturdy spatula. If you are making two rounds, divide the dough evenly between the two parchment circles. (For a large rectangle, use all of the dough for one pizza.)
See the photos and directions in the blog post to see how to shape the dough. Let your shaped dough rise until puffy, but not cracked. This will take about 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the temperature and humidity in your house.
Parbake one crust at a time if you have more than one. Use the cookie sheet to slide the risen dough (still on the parchment paper) onto the hot pizza stone. Bake for 10 minutes (round) to 12 minutes (rectangle), then use the cookie sheet to remove the crust from the oven.
Slide the crust onto a cooling rack, and immediately remove the parchment paper. Leave your oven on if you will be baking your pizza now. Press any large bubbles to flatten them.
You can top the crust immediately, or let it cool first. (You can also wrap a cooled parbaked crust in plastic wrap and freeze it to top and use later.)
Add sauce and the toppings of your choice. You can bake the pizza(s) now, or freeze and bake later. (Tip: Freeze an unbaked pizza on a rack and wrap it after it’s frozen. See the recipe notes for directions on how to bake a frozen pizza.)
Use a cookie sheet to transfer your pizza onto the oven rack. Bake for 16 minutes (round) to 18 minutes (rectangle), then broil if you want more browning on top. Use a cookie sheet to transfer your cooked pizza to a cooling rack. Let the pizza cool on the rack for a few minutes before sliding it onto a cutting board. Slice and enjoy!