I'm not there yet, but it's getting better. The latest addition to my repertoire is a KitchenAid mixer (the Artisan model).

The basic recipe and technique remain the same, but the KitchenAid takes all the work out of kneading and does a much more thorough job. It's not a Hobart and I don't have an 800 degree pizza oven (maybe that's next) but I'm already seeing better and more consistent results.

We also made our first loaf of plain old white bread using the new mixer. It came out great.

The Mrs. hasn't tried it yet for her perfect chocolate cake that even my Mom says is better than hers. I'm sure she will eventually, but we still have our 30+ year old Sunbeam Mixmaster (that's not up to the task of kneading dough at all) for backup just in case it's part of the magic formula.

PREVIOUSLY: Pizza crust troubleshooting guide

UPDATE: My current (but always evolving, tips welcome) pizza dough recipe after the jump...

Pizza dough recipe

Ingredients (all measurements approx.):

2 cups flour*
3/4 cup warm water @ 105 degrees**
1/2 pkg. (1/8 oz.) of Fleischmann's Active Dry Yeast***
1/2 tsp. sugar (or 1 tsp. honey)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. olive oil

*Gold Medal "Better for Bread" flour works best for me. It's the closest thing I can find to All Trumps at the grocery store. You can also experiment with a mix of all-purpose and bread flour for a lighter crust, but I've settled on all bread flour.

**I use filtered water and heat it in the microwave and measure it with a kitchen thermometer. It should be exactly 105F, no more than 110 or it will kill the yeast.

***Don't use the entire 1/4 oz. package of yeast or your dough will rise too fast and "over ferment."

Instructions:

First, proof the yeast:

• Warm a small bowl by running hot water over the outside

• Put the yeast and about half the 105F water in the bowl and stir. You can add a pinch of sugar but it's not really necessary.

• Wait about five minutes and watch for the yeast to "bloom" to make sure it's active. If it doesn't, start over.

• While the yeast is proofing, mix the flour, sugar, and salt thoroughly in a large bowl or your mixer bowl. (If using honey instead of sugar, do not add it yet.)

• Stir the water/yeast mixture in to the flour. If using a mixer, use the dough hook, set it on slow speed, and slowly add the water/yeast mix.

• Continue stirring in the rest of the water and the olive oil as above. If using honey instead of sugar, add it now.

• Continue stirring (or mixing on low speed, using a spatula to keep the flour pushed down if necessary) until the dough forms a sticky ball and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. (At this point you can add small amounts of flour or water if needed to get the right consistency.)

• Knead. If kneading by hand, put wax paper on a flat surface and sprinkle with some flour, put the dough on it, sprinkle some more flour on top, coat your hands with flour and knead with the heels of your palms, frequently folding and refolding and occasionally rolling it around in the palms of your hands a few times. Knead in this manner for about seven to ten minutes. If using a mixer, increase the speed to medium low (speed 2 on a KitchenAid) and let the dough hook work for four to five minutes while making yourself a martini and relaxing.

• Coat the inside of a large clean bowl with a little olive oil.

• Form the kneaded dough into a ball and place it in the bowl to rise. Put a little olive oil on top of the dough.

• Seal the top of the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to an hour, or until it doubles in size. If it doesn't rise, start over. You can prep your sauce and cheese and other toppings while waiting for the dough to rise.

• Punch down the dough and you are ready to gently stretch it out on your pizza pan or stone, spread on your favorite sauce concoction, and top with cheese and your favorite toppings. Bake on the bottom rack at 450 for 10 to 12 minutes, checking it after about 8 minutes and monitoring closely after that.

Makes one 12 inch to 14 inch crust depending on how thick you like it. I've heard you can also double your recipe, divide it, and freeze the second dough ball in a plastic freezer bag, but I've never tried this.

Note: I use an aluminum pan, and have gone back and forth on whether to use a little olive oil on the pan and a little on top of the spread out dough. It works well either way, and right now I lean towards using the olive oil for more even browning but I think it may be making the crust a little more chewy than crispy. In either case I put a little corn meal on the pan to help keep it from sticking plus it adds a little flavor. [NOTE: See update below re. using a stone.]

More tips:

For a quick sauce, using crushed tomatoes for the base gives good flavor, but you need to cook it down because it's watery and will result in a soggy crust. Pureed tomatoes work great with no cooking required and the standard sized can is about the perfect amount for one pizza.

Add a little olive oil, a little red wine if you like (or a little sugar) to cut the acidity of the tomato sauce. Add oregano, basil, some garlic, marjoram, thyme, and maybe a little rosemary, or whatever combination of herbs (fresh if you have them) and seasonings you prefer, plus a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Kraft grated Parmesan+Romano makes a good thickener and adds flavor, but if you use it you can use less (or no) salt.

For cheese, I like a mixture of mostly fresh mozzarella (8 oz.), some provolone (3-4 oz.), and a little bit of grated sharp cheddar, sprinkled with some freshly grated Parmigiana-Reggiano if you have it. Go easy with fresh vegetable toppings or you'll get a soggy pizza. Lots of fresh basil on top is always great.

BIG UPDATE: Thanks to a tip by Bobby Flay in Parade Magazine (!), I have solved the pizza pan/stone dilemma. Because you pre-heat the stone I could never figure out how to reliably get the pie on it without tearing the crust or ruining the pizza.

Bobby Flay's tip: Parchment paper.

I had never thought of that, but it works great. Roll out your dough on parchment paper, build the pie, and carefully slide it right on to the pre-heated pizza stone. The crust will bake up nice and crispy. I cut the parchment paper around the pizza with scissors, leaving a small "tab" to grab it by.

Another adjustment I've been making is to only use half of this dough recipe for one pie. It makes for a slightly smaller pie with a thinner and crispier crust. It's still plenty for two people.

I divide the dough, freeze half, and use a rolling pin to roll out the other half really thin, then let it rise a little more. I bake it at 485-500 for about 8 minutes. It will bake faster on the stone and at the higher temp, so keep an eye on it. I start it on the bottom rack and finish it on the middle rack so the toppings won't get done before the crust. This may not be necessary, I'm still experimenting with that part.

UPDATE: Never mind most of the above. Check this out...