cups all-purpose flour or bread flour divided
1 packet instant yeast (2 ¼ tps)
2 teaspoons sugar
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp garlic powder
2 tbs olive oil plus additional for brushing the dough
¾ cup warm water
Preparation instructions: In a mixer (or large mixing bowl), whisk together 1 cup of flour, the yeast, sugar, salt, and garlic powder. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the warm water and mix well on low for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add in another cup of flour, mixing on low until the dough comes together, it will be sticky but should be able to form a ball. Only use the additional 1/3 of a cup if your dough is very wet. Later, when the dough is fermenting (proofing) it will absorb the water more. Now, turn the mixer up to medium and mix until it is elastic, for about 3 minutes.
Prepare a large, clean bowl by very generously brushing with olive oil. Transfer the dough ball to the bowl and also brush the top with olive oil so the entire ball is coated, or turn it a few times in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (or a kitchen towel) and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled, which will take about an hour. To push your dough a little faster, you can put it in an off oven with just the light on.
Once the dough has risen, punch it down then transfer to a floured surface. You can be very authentic and knead it for a minute, then roll the dough into a large circle. Or you can divide it into 4 balls and people can make their own personal pizza. Then place on a pizza pan or stone. Poke the dough all over with a fork, then brush the dough with olive oil. To make the pizza, preheat the oven to 425F.
Top the dough with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and the toppings of your choice. Bake the pizza at 425F for 12-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and dough is baked.
The most obvious holiday in February is Valentine’s Day, often revolving around decadent deserts. If you are like me and prefer to stay at home instead of battling crowds for dinner reservations, here is a desert that looks fancy but can be made a day ahead of time and refrigerated for a day. It is vanilla pastry cream, chocolate ganache and whatever fruit you enjoy, layered in a martini glass or a glass bowl shows the layers and looks like more work than it is.
Pastry Cream
This vanilla pastry cream is smooth and rich tasting, goes great with even plain fruit and feels like a real treat. This recipe also makes enough to fill one 10 inch tart shell, or several individual wine glass servings. (adapted from the Salamander Resort Summer Fruit Tart class).
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Milk
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 4.75 tbs cornstarch
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 whole large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbs butter
Preparation instructions: In a bowl, wish together half the sugar, cornstarch, whole egg and egg yolk and set next to the stove, on a towel where you will be heating the milk. Heat the milk and other half of the sugar together in a saucepan over medium heat, just before it simmers. Temper (pour slowly) the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly, and then return the entire mixture back into the pot.
Cook mixture while continuously whisking, until it thickens and bubbles. (The speed that it thickens depends on the heat, I am a chicken and heat mine very slowly so it doesn’t curdle or burn.) Once thickened, remove from heat over to the towel your bowl was on and stiff in butter and vanilla and stir until the butter is melted. Pour the pastry cream through a fine sieve into a shallow pan and then cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream (so it doesn’t form a skin) and refrigerate to chill and use later.
Medium Chocolate Ganache
Chocolate ganache is made up of just chocolate and heavy cream but changing the ratios of how much chocolate to cream. A medium ganache is great for pouring or dipping items in, it coats well, is very shiny and is still a little soft.
Ingredients:
- 16 ounces bittersweet chocolate (chopped)
- 12 ounces heavy cream
Preparation instructions: Place the chocolate in a bowl, heat the heavy cream just to a boil and then pour over the chocolate to melt it and stir. It will look very thin, but will thicken some as it cools.
Wash and prepare your fresh fruit, berries work well, or you can just use the cream/chocolate combination. Start by putting the pastry cream in a piping bag, then use a spoon to fill a small amount of the chocolate in the bottom of a glass, and then splatter inside of the glass a la Jackson Pollock. Layer with fruit, vanilla pastry cream, more chocolate, more fruit, until you get a desert you desire. Make this a day ahead of time, cover and refrigerate, then present to the one you love.
