Dessert Pizza

Dessert Pizza

Completely yum pizza, the finale to the feast. 

Ingredients: 
Pizza Dough
Chocolate, Roughly Chopped
Marshmallows 

Brown Sugar

1 Banana, Sliced

Method:
1. The trick to mastering the dessert pizza is to pre-cook your base in your oven. Cook for around 5 minutes or until the dough is no longer soft.
2. Evenly spread chocolate pieces onto base. Place into oven for around 2 minutes or until chocolate begins to soften. 
3. Remove pizza from the oven and spread chocolate the best you can (not all the chocolate will be melted yet).
4. Place marshmallows and banana on top of chocolate and sprinkle with brown sugar (I sprinkle it mainly on top of the banana slices because it caramelizes nicely).
5. Put pizza back into the oven and cook until marshmallows are melted.

YUM!

Turned out a little burnt, but was so delicious.

Tomato Sugo

Tomato Sugo

Ideal for use on pizza bases or as a pasta sauce.

Makes around 1L.

Ingredients: 

400g tin of Diced Tomatos 

1 Onion, diced

2 cloves of Garlic, diced

3tbs of Fresh Herbs (I use sage, oregano, basil and parsley)

1-2 Bay Leaves

2-4tbs of Red Wine

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

Water

Method:
1. Place oil, onion and garlic in a saucepan and cook until tender.
2. Pour tin tomatos and wine into pan and season with herbs, bay leaves and salt and pepper.
3. Stir occasionally and allow to simmer for as long as necessary, adding water to compensate for liquid lost due to evaporation. (I left mine on low heat for around a hour and added around 500ml of water.)

4. Remove from heat and take out bay leaves.

5. Place in blender and beat until smooth.

Sugo will keep for around 3 days and should be stored in the fridge.

Pizza Dough

Pizza Dough

Easy to make dough that suits any type of pizza.

Makes 4 large pizza bases.

Ingredients: 
1½ cups (375ml) of Warm Water 
2tsp of Dried Yeast (equivalent to a 7g sachet)

¼tsp of Caster Sugar

4 cups (600g) of Plain Flour

1tsp of Salt, finely ground

¼ cup (60ml) of Olive Oil

Method:
1. Mix water with caster sugar and yeast. Allow to sit for around 5 minutes or until foamy. 
2. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Form a well in the middle. 
3. Slowly add olive oil and yeast-water liquid into the center. 
4. Use a spoon (I find metal best) to bring mixture together. 
5. Once dough has formed a rough ball, place on floured surface and knead for around 5 minutes or until there is no lumps. Do not knead for too long, or dough will become tough.
6. Place a little olive oil in the bottom of a large bowl (dough will double in size) and rub over sides of bowl. Place dough in dish and turn to coat in oil. This ensure the dough doesn't become dry.
7. Place dough in a warm area (if the house is cold I place my bowl above the heater) for around 45 minutes.

8. Once dough is doubled in size, tip onto floured surface and using your fist, punch the air out of it. 

9. Section dough off and roll it out to your desired size.

Chocolate Dessert Cake with Frosting

Chocolate Dessert Cake with Frosting

Luscious and moist dessert cake, perfect for any occasion. 


Serves 12


Ingredients: 
Cake
250g of Cooking Butter
200g of Cooking Chocolate (dark, milk or both)
1½ cups of Coffee (or 1tbs of instant coffee disolved in 1½ cups of boiling water)
1½ cups of Caster Sugar
½tsp of Vanilla Essence
2 Lightly Beaten Eggs
1½ cups of Sifted Self Raising Flour
½ cup of Sifted Cocoa
Frosting
150g of Cooking Chocolate (dark, milk or both can be used)
40g of Cooking Butter


Method:
Cake
1.  Preheat oven to 160ºC (or 140ºC fan forced) and line and grease cake tin.
2. Melt butter and chocolate in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring frequently. Once melted, add coffee and sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. Transfer chocolate mixture to a bowl and using an electric mixer slowly add vanilla essence and eggs. Gradually add flour and cocoa. Mix for 90 seconds or until combined.
4. Pour mixture into cake tin and allow to cook for around 1 hour.
Frosting
1. Melt butter and chocolate in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring frequently. 
2. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 30 seconds, then spread over cake.


Serve with cream.

Recipe adapted from Cadbury

Grilled Avocado with Melted Cheese

Grilled Avocado

Perfect for a winter snack.


Serves 1


Ingredients: 
1 Avocado 
2tbs of Grated Parmesan Cheese
2tbs of Grated Tasty Cheese 
1 Lime
Salt and Pepper


Method:
1. Preheat grill to a medium temperature. 
2. Slice your avocado in half and remove the seed.
3. Carefully score your avocado with a knife, ensuring not to penetrate the skin underneath.
4. Squeeze lime juice over the avocado allowing the juice to flow into the scores and to the very bottom of the fruit. 
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Sprinkle a mixture of parmesan and tasty cheese on the flesh. 
7. Grill avocado until top is crispy brown.
8. Remove from oven and serve with a wedge of lime.


Enjoy!