Free and Easy Bake-Along #1: Streusel Pizza

I'm baking along with Lena of Frozen Wings, as a fun, free and easy bake-along. We have several books in common, and I thought that it would be a great idea to bake from these books together. For this first bake-along, Lena has suggested several recipes and I have chosen this sweet pizza from her list. I have always wanted to bake a sweet pizza but never did! There's always dozens of other recipes to chose from, and always "maybe next time"? Whatever the reason, this bake-along has already prompted me to bake something that has  been 'on-the-list' and now it's on the table! 

This Streusel Pizza recipe is taken from the book "500 Pizzas & Flatbreads" by Rebecca Baugniet.  The base is a thin pizza base. The streusel complements well with the strawberries and the cream cheese topping, overall the sweetness is just right.  This is good with a cup of tea. My kids really enjoyed this sweet pizza. 

The recipe of the dough stated that the amount of dough can be made into 3 pieces of 12-inch round pizza. I made it into 2 pieces instead, as I find that it is difficult to roll to a very thin layer of 2mm, as there are holes when I try to roll it thinner! I really need to practice more on this step, and I mean lots of practice!

After baking, let pizza rest for about 10 minutes to enjoy the crispiness of the dough. Don't forget that cup of hot plain tea. 

Wanna have a bite? ...mmmm

Please do visit Lena of Frozen Wings and see her delicious sweet pizza. We will be baking "Gateau Breton" from "Heavenly Cakes" By Rose Levy Beranbaum for next month's Free and Easy Bake-Along, together with Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids.

I'm linking this with Full Plate Thursday over at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Basic Thin Pizza Base
(adapted from "500 Pizzas & Flatbreads" by Rebecca Baugniet)

This base rises only once and bakes in minutes, making it the quickiest base to make. It can be made into three 30-cm (12-in) pizzas, as desribed below, or divided into six individual 15-cm (6-in) pizzas. Baking time remains consistent.

175gm (6oz) plain flour
200gm (7 oz) strong white bread flour
5ml (1 tsp) sugar
5ml (1 tsp) easy-blend dried yeast
5ml (1 tsp) salt
22ml (1-1/2 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil
225ml (8fl oz) very warm water

To prepare the pizza dough, combine flours. Mix 225gm (8oz) flour with the sugar, yeast, and salt in bowl of standing mixer. Set aside. Combine olive oil and warm water. With paddle attachment, slowly stir in the water and oil into the flour mixture until well combined. Mix in the remaining flour.

Change to dough hook attachment and knead on low for 4 to 5 minutes, until dough comes together as a ball and is smooth and elastic. If not using a standing mixer, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes.

Place dough in lightly oiled bowl and cover with clean paper towel. Set aside in a warm spot for 1-1/2 to 3 hours, until dough has almost doubled in volume.

Once dough has risen, use a sharp knife to divide the ball into 3 equal pieces. Shape each into a ball, and flatten to form a disc. Using fingers or rolling pin, stretch out each dist co 30-cm (12-in) rounds, which is very thin - about 2mm (1/12 in).

(my notes : I use the breadmaker to mix the dough)


Streusel Pizza
(this recipe is for enough for one pizza only)
1/3 recipe basic thin pizza base


Topping
115gm (4oz) cream cheese, softened
1 large egg yolk
1.25ml (1/4 tsp) vanilla essence
7.5ml (1-1/2 tsp) sugar
75gm (3oz) fresh strawberries, hulled (I use about 200gm, 75gm is simply not enough!)


Streusel
60gm (2-1/2oz) light brown sugar
25gm (3oz) unsalted butter, melted
15ml (1 tbsp) plain flour

Preheat oven to 200C (400F/Gas Mark 6).

Line a 30-cm (12-in) pizza pan with baking paper. Roll pizza dough out to a 30-cm (12-in) round and place in pan. In medium bowl, combine cream cheese, egg yolk, vanilla and sugar. Stir until smooth.

In small bowl, combine all the streusel ingredients until you have a crumbly mixture. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the pizza base, top with strawberries and sprinkle with streusel.

Place on middle rack of preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the base is baked and the streusel topping is crunchy. Serve warm or at room temperature.