When ordering pizza from Domino’s, customers choose between two popular crust styles – Domino’s Brooklyn style vs hand-tossed. But what exactly is the difference between these crust options?
This post will explore and compare the Brooklyn style and hand-tossed crusts offered at Domino’s. We will look at various aspects like texture, taste, price, and how the toppings are distributed, and even more.
The goal is to understand the key differences and help readers decide which crust they think would be best suited to their taste preferences.
What Is Brooklyn-Style Pizza?
Brooklyn-style pizza is characterized by its crisp, thin, and foldable crust, a signature of this New York borough’s pizzerias. Its large slices are easily identifiable, topped with a perfect harmony of tangy tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and a wide variety of toppings.
Unlike other pizza styles, the Brooklyn version is often lightly charred underneath, lending a unique flavor profile. This pizza style exudes simplicity, valuing quality ingredients and expert craftsmanship over excessive toppings or gimmicks.
What Is Hand Tossed Pizza?
Hand-tossed pizza is a traditional approach that relies on the skill and technique of the pizza maker. It begins with dough tossed by hand, creating a unique and slightly uneven crust that results in a perfect blend of crispy and chewy textures.
The edges are often thicker, forming a robust border for the pizza. It’s typically topped with a rich tomato sauce, cheese, and a selection of meats or vegetables.
The charm of hand-tossed pizza lies in its individuality – each pizza is a unique creation, reflecting the artisan’s personal touch.
Domino’s Brooklyn Style vs Hand Tossed: Main Distinctions
If you’re still unsure about the differences between Domino’s two popular crust styles, the information below will be extremely useful for pizza lovers.
We will explore specific aspects of each crust to help visualize the differences between Domino’s Brooklyn-style pizza and the hand-tossed pizza.
1. The Texture
When it comes to texture, Brooklyn-style pizza from Domino’s has a thin, crisp crust that is a bit firm from edge to edge, allowing for a sturdy base for toppings.
It’s designed to be foldable, mimicking the style enjoyed on the streets of Brooklyn. It often has a light char underneath, contributing to its distinct taste.
On the other hand, Domino’s hand-tossed pizza has a unique texture that reflects the artisan’s technique. The crust is slightly uneven due to the hand-tossing process, offering a blend of crispiness and chewiness.
The edges are typically thicker, serving as a robust frame for the toppings. The result is a pizza that delivers a delightful textural contrast with each bite.
2. The Toppings
When it comes to toppings, both pizza styles have their unique characteristics. Brooklyn-style pizza, staying true to its origins, embraces a more minimalist approach.
The layer of tangy tomato sauce is spread thinly and evenly, topped with a modest amount of mozzarella and a choice selection of toppings. This style respects the balance of flavors, allowing the high-quality ingredients and the thin, charred crust to shine.
In contrast, Domino’s hand-tossed pizza is more generous with its toppings. The dough forms a perfect canvas for a rich layer of tomato sauce, a hearty portion of cheese, and an array of meaty or vegetable toppings.
Every hand-tossed pizza is a testament to the artisan’s creativity, with the potential for a different flavor profile in each pie. However, despite the abundance of toppings, the robust and thicker crust ensures the pizza holds up well, offering a gratifying crunch in each bite.
3. The Taste
When it comes to taste, both Brooklyn-style and hand-tossed pizzas from Domino’s each possess their unique flavor experience. The Brooklyn-style pizza, with its minimalist approach, focuses on the harmony of flavors.
The thin crust, lightly charred, melds perfectly with the tangy tomato sauce and mozzarella, creating a flavorful mouthful in each bite. The ingredients, though fewer in number, are savored more distinctly due to the thinness of the crust and the overall balance of flavors.
Contrastingly, the hand-tossed pizza presents a rich and diverse explosion of flavors. The thicker crust, slightly crispy outside and chewy inside, is complemented by the hearty layer of cheese and rich tomato sauce, forming a satisfying base of classic pizza flavors.
Adding to this, the selection of toppings can vary greatly, offering a unique taste in every pizza. Despite its variety of flavors, the hand-tossed pizza doesn’t compromise on texture, ensuring a pleasing crunch with each bite.
4. Size and Servings
In terms of size and servings, Domino’s Brooklyn-style and hand-tossed pizzas also vary. The Brooklyn-style pizza is generally larger, with big, foldable slices.
This is part of its charm, allowing for the classic New York ‘fold and eat’ approach. It’s perfect for those who enjoy a larger slice and less crust, allowing the toppings to take center stage.
Hand-tossed pizzas, however, are offered in a variety of sizes. They tend to have more crust, due to the thicker edges, which can be a bonus for crust enthusiasts.
While the slices may be less sizable than Brooklyn-style, the combination of their unique texture and generous toppings ensures satisfying servings. It’s the ideal choice for those who enjoy a hearty crust and a more robust distribution of toppings.
5. Packaging
When it comes to packaging, both styles of Domino’s pizzas are delivered in the recognizable Domino’s branded box, ensuring your pizza arrives hot and fresh.
However, due to the larger size and foldable nature of the Brooklyn-style pizza, it may seem to fill the box more completely.
Conversely, the hand-tossed pizza, with its varied sizes and thicker crust, might not fill the box edge to edge, but its heightened edges and generous toppings make it a satisfying sight upon opening.
In both cases, the packaging serves its purpose well – to deliver a delicious, ready-to-eat pizza straight to your doorstep.
Which Pizza Is Healthier?
When comparing the nutritional value of 14″ Domino’s Brooklyn style vs 14″ hand-tossed pizzas, the following distinctions can be made:
1. Calorie Content: A slice of Brooklyn-style pizza has approximately 120 calories, making it a lower-calorie option than a slice of Hand-tossed pizza, which contains around 160 calories.
2. Fat: Brooklyn-style pizza has a lower fat content than the Hand-tossed version, with 1.5g of fat per slice compared to 2g of fat.
3. Carbohydrates: The Hand-tossed pizza has more carbohydrates than the Brooklyn-style pizza, with 30g per slice versus 22g of total carbohydrates.
4. Protein: Both pizza styles offer a significant amount of protein per slice, with slightly less in the Brooklyn-style pizza at 4g versus 5g in the Hand-tossed pizza.
5. Sodium: The sodium content is lower in the Brooklyn-style pizza at 120mg per slice, while the Hand-tossed pizza contains 170mg.
If you’re counting calories or seeking a lower carbohydrate option, the Brooklyn-style pizza may be a better choice. However, if you’re looking to limit your intake of fat, particularly saturated fat, the Hand-tossed pizza might be the preferable option.
It’s essential to balance these nutritional factors with the overall taste and texture that each style offers, to choose a pizza that you’ll truly enjoy.
| Nutrients | 14″ Domino’s Large Brooklyn Pizza | 14″ Domino’s Large Hand Tossed Pizza |
| Serving Size | 1/6 of pizza | 1/8 of pizza |
| Weight | 46 g | 62 g |
| Calories | 120 | 160 |
| Total Fat | 1.5 g | 2 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Trans Fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 120 mg | 170 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 22 g | 30 g |
| Fiber | 1 g | 1 g |
| Total Sugars | 1 g | 1 g |
| Added Sugars | 1 g | 1 g |
| Protein | 4 g | 5 g |
(Source)
How To Make Domino’s Brooklyn Pizza At Home?
This is a very clear recipe for you to make Brooklyn pizza at home. I hope that this one can help you find the right direction in making pizza and succeed right the first time.
1. Ingredients
To prepare the Brooklyn-style pizza at home, you will need the following ingredients:
– ¾ cups of tomato puree/passata
– ½ tsp of dried basil
– ½ tsp of dried oregano
– 8 oz of hand-grated mozzarella cheese
– 2 cups (10 oz) of bread flour
– 1 tsp of active dry yeast
– ¾ cup of warm water
– ½ tsp of dried parsley
– 1 and ½ tsp of sugar
– 1 and ½ tsp of table salt
– 1 tbsp of olive oil (prepare more to use for topping)
– 10 basil leaves
2. Instructions
– Step 1: In a large bowl or stand mixer, mix sugar, flour, yeast, and water. Stir gently and let sit for 3 minutes.
– Step 2: After resting, mix on low speed (use the hook attachment if using a stand mixer). Slowly add the remaining oil, salt, and flour. Mix for 5 minutes on medium-low speed (you can scrape the bowl if necessary).
– Step 3: Form the dough into a round shape, then cover it with a plastic wrap or cover, and let it rise in the refrigerator for 2 days, pressing down on it after the first day.
– Step 4: Take the dough out of the refrigerator around 2 hours before you plan to cook.
– Step 5: Make the sauce by mixing dried herbs, sugar, tomato puree, and salt.
– Step 6: Preheat oven to 450°F and put a pizza stone in the center. Roll the dough into a circle about 14” on a floured surface. After that, transfer to a pizza peel and top with sauce and cheese, leaving an edge of ½ inches.
Carefully transfer the dough onto the preheated baking stone or surface, and bake it for 9 to 11 minutes until the crust is golden brown and has risen. Then, remove your pizza from the oven. Let it cool for some minutes and it’s time to enjoy your delicious homemade Brooklyn-style pizza.
How To Make Domino’s Hand-Tossed Pizza At Home?
Below is a very simple recipe to make hand-tossed pizza at home. It’s also really easy to follow and get the best result for a homemade hand-tossed pizza!
1. Ingredients
– 2 ½ tsp of active dry yeast
– 2 cups of lukewarm water
– 4 ¾ cups of all-purpose flour
– 1 tsp of honey
– 2 ½ tsp of fine sea salt
– 2 ½ tsp of extra virgin olive oil
Toppings
– 2 cups of shredded cheese
– ½ cup of pizza sauce
– 3/4 cup of hot Italian sausage in pieces
2. Instructions
– Step 1: In a stand mixer equipped with a dough hook attachment, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Then, add the water and oil, and mix on low speed until the dough becomes smooth and uniform.
Divide the dough into four equal portions, and place each piece into a separate bowl. Cover the bowls with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 to 2.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
After the rising period, the dough is ready to be shaped as needed for your recipe.
– Step 2: Use immediately or store as follows.
For short-term storage (up to 3 days), place each dough ball in a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge. To use, let sit at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours until doubled.
For long-term storage (up to 3 months), wrap each dough ball in plastic wrap, place it in a freezer bag, and freeze. To use, defrost in the fridge overnight, then let sit at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours until doubled.
– Step 3: Then, spread sauce thinly over the pizza. Distribute meat evenly. Also, Add shredded cheese.
– Step 4: Bake at 500°F for 3 to 5 minutes, then rotate. Cook for another 5 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese bubbles.
– Step 5: Remove the pizza and let it cool slightly before cutting. Then, serve your wonderful and tasty hand-tossed pizza made at your home.
Conclusion
In conclusion, choosing between Domino’s Brooklyn style and hand-tossed pizzas ultimately boils down to personal preference. While the Brooklyn style offers a thin crust and big, foldable slices, the Hand-tossed pizza is all about a traditional crust and robust flavors.
So, whether you prefer a New York pizzeria experience or a classic pizza night at home, both styles have their unique appeal.