Yes, you can use a pizza stone in an electric oven to bake a pizza. In fact, a pizza stone is an excellent tool for achieving a crisp and evenly cooked crust. Here's how you can use a pizza stone in your electric oven:
Preheat the oven with the pizza stone: Place the pizza stone on one of the oven racks. Preheat the oven to the desired temperature for baking your pizza (usually around 450-500°F or 230-260°C). It's essential to allow the pizza stone to heat up along with the oven so that it reaches the desired temperature and retains heat effectively.
Prepare the pizza: While the oven and the pizza stone are preheating, prepare your pizza dough and add the desired toppings. You can assemble the pizza directly on a pizza peel or on a parchment paper that will make transferring the pizza to the hot stone easier.
Transfer the pizza to the stone: If you prepared the pizza on a pizza peel, gently slide the pizza onto the hot pizza stone in the oven. If you used parchment paper, you can place the entire pizza, along with the parchment, on the stone. The hot surface of the stone will help the crust cook quickly and evenly.
Bake the pizza: Allow the pizza to bake on the pizza stone for the recommended time or until the crust is golden brown and the toppings are cooked to your liking. The exact baking time will depend on your oven's temperature and the thickness of your pizza.
Remove the pizza: Use a pizza peel or oven mitts to carefully remove the pizza from the oven once it's done baking. Be cautious as the pizza stone will be extremely hot.
A pizza stone helps to evenly distribute heat to the bottom of the pizza, resulting in a well-cooked and crispy crust. It also absorbs excess moisture from the dough, preventing a soggy crust and promoting a better overall texture.
Remember to handle the pizza stone with care as it can retain heat for a long time after being removed from the oven. Allow it to cool completely before cleaning. Also, avoid exposing the pizza stone to drastic temperature changes, as it could crack. Instead, let it cool down gradually in the oven or on the counter.