Recipe: Dessert Pizza Collection (8)

RASPBERRY ALMOND KISS DESSERT PIZZA
Yield: 2 12" pizzas

2 12" Dessert Pizza Shells; unbaked
3 Egg whites
4 oz Almond paste
8 oz Raspberry preserves

TOPPING
3/4 lb Raspberries; whole
1 1/2 c Almonds; blanched, slivered, and toasted
8 oz Chocolate chips

TO SERVE
Confectioners' sugar
Whipped cream; OR vanilla ice cream

Beat egg whites in mixer with paddle until foamy; add almond paste and cream until smooth. Add raspberry preserves and mix until fully incorporated. Reserve raspberry mixture.

Top each unbaked pizza shell with 1/2 cup of the raspberry/egg white mixture, leaving 1/2-inch border. Bake in 400 degree oven for 7 minutes.

Remove from oven, and top each pizza with 6 oz. whole raspberries, 3/4 cup toasted almonds and 4 oz. chocolate chips. Return to oven and bake for an additional 7 minutes.

Remove and let cool for fifteen minutes. Serve warm, dusted with confectioners' sugar and topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

STRAWBERRY PIZZA

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 tsp baking powder
6 T. butter
1/3 c. shortening
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1 T. milk
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven 375 F. Stir together dry ingredients (flour & baking powder) plus 1/4 tsp salt. Set aside. Beat butter & shortening for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat until fluffly. Add, egg milk & vanilla. Beat well. Add dry ingredients to beaten mixture, beating until well-combined. Place on ungreased pizza pan. Press dough to about 1/4 inch thick (thicker if you prefer). Bake in oven 375 F for 10-15 minute or until golden brown. Topping Spread softened cream cheese on baked crust. Put strawberry slices on cream cheese then pour strawberry glaze on top. Chill for about an hour then serve.

DESSERT PIZZA SHELLS

1/2 oz Active dry yeast
2 tb Nonfat dry milk powder
1 c Very warm (120-125'F) water
1 tb Sugar or honey
1/2 c Apple juice
1 ts Salt
5 c Flour
1/2 c Lukewarm water (or more)

Dissolve the yeast and the skim milk powder in the water. Add the sugar or honey and stir well to dissolve. Let this sit for about 10 minutes. Add the apple juice and combine well.

Put all of the flour in a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and combine. Add the liquid mixture to the flour along with enough additional water to make a soft but not sticky dough. Knead the dough for 4 minutes if using a stand mixer; 8 minutes if kneading by hand.

Divide the dough into balls of about 4 ounces each, put them on a floured sheet pan, cover the pan and allow to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until doubled in bulk (or let rise, covered well, in the refrigerator overnight).

Thickness: To make a dessert pizza shell, the dough should be rolled thicker than that for a thin-crust pizza because it will be holding more weight. Go with a dough shell that is at least 1/8-inch thick.

Forming: Pull up the sides to form a crust cuff or a well to hold the dessert toppings. The pizza shell should like like a pie or tart shell.

Size: A four- or five-inch diameter pizza seems to be the best size, because it can be served as an individual dessert or as one for two people to share.

Preparation: The best way to go from this point is to dock the crust and bake it completely. This baked crust will then be ready to take various toppings. In a few situations you might want to only par-bake the crust -- when doing a baked apple pizza, for example.

Toppings:
Cheeses: For the sake of simplicity and good taste, cheeses can be narrowed down to three: ricotta, mascarpone and cream cheese.

Fruits: Just about any fruit will work. Using fresh fruit will control the moisture.

Nuts: Walnuts, pecans, almonds, and pine nuts are favorites.

Miscellaneous: Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves work well. Crushed or ground amaretto cookies make a great topping over cheese and fruit. Chocolate chips, raisins and zest of oranges, lemons or limes can be used most effectively to pump up the flavor. A dusting of confectioners' sugar looks good and goes a long way in the taste department. Brushing or layering fruit preserves or a fruit glaze on the crust before toppings go on adds a lot of flavor and offers a wide range of taste possibilities.

CREAM CHEESE CHOCOLATE CHIP PIZZA (SOFT)
Yield: 2 12" pizzas

1 c Butter-margarine; softened
3/4 c Sugar
3/4 c Brown sugar
8 oz Cream cheese; softened
1 ts Vanilla
2 Eggs
2 1/4 c All purpose flour
1 ts Baking soda
1/4 ts Salt
12 oz Semisweet chocolate chips
1 c Chopped walnuts (Optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease two 12 inch pizza pans. Cream butter, sugars, cream cheese and vanilla in large bowl. Add eggs, beat until light.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Add to creamed mixture; blend well. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts (if used)

Divide dough in half, spread each half evenly into prepared pans.

IMPORTANT - DO NOT SPREAD ALL THE WAY TO EDGES, THIS DOUGH DOES SPREAD Leave about a half inch space between edge of dough and rim of pizza pan.

Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pans on wire racks.

To serve: cut into slim wedges.

CANDY SHOP PIZZA
Yield: 12 servings

1 1/2 c All-purpose flour
1/2 ts Baking soda
1/2 ts Salt
10 tb Butter, softened
1/2 c Granulated sugar
1/2 c Firmly packed brown sugar
1 Egg
1/2 ts Vanilla extract
1 pk NESTLE Toll House semi-sweet
-chocolate morsels, divided
1/2 c Peanut butter
1 c Cut-up fruit, such as bananas and strawberries(opt)
1 c Chopped candy bars, such as NESTLE CRUNCH bars, BUTTERFINGER bars, ALPINE WHITE bars, GOOBERS and RAISINETS

Preheat oven to 375F. In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In large mixer bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in 1 cup Nestle Toll House semi-sweet chocolate morsels. Spread batter in lightly greased 12" to 14" pizza pan or 15 1/2x10 1/2" jelly-roll pan. Bake 20-24 minutes or until lightly browned.

Immediately sprinkle remaining 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels over crust; drop peanut butter by spoonfuls onto morsels. Let stand 5 minutes or until soft and shiny. Gently spread chocolate and peanut butter over crust. Top with fruit and candy. Cut into wedges. Serve warm.

Makes about 12 servings.

BROWNIE PIZZA
Yield: 12 servings

Brownie layer
3/4 c Butter, (1 1/2 sticks)
4 Eggs
1 c Flour, all purpose
1 pk Cream cheese, (8 oz)
1 Egg
Assorted sliced fruit
4 Unsweetened chocolate, squar
2 c Sugar
1 ts Vanilla
Topping
1/4 c Sugar
1/2 ts Vanilla
2 Squares semi-sweet chocolate

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 by 1/2 inch pizza pan with foil (to lift brownie from pan after baking); grease foil.

Microwave unsweetened chocolate and margarine in large microwaveable bowl on high for 2 minutes or until margarine is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

Stir 2 cups sugar into melted chocolate mixture. Mix in 4 eggs and 1 tsp vanilla until well blended. Stir in flour. Spread in prepared pizza pan. Bake for 30 minutes.

Topping: Mix cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg and 1/2 tsp vanilla in same bowl until well blended. Pour over hot, baked brownie crust.

Bake 10 minutes longer or until toothpick inserted into center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Do NOT overbake. Cool in pan. Lift brownie pizza out of pan; peel off foil. Place brownie pizza on serving plate. Arrange fruit slices over cream cheese layer. Drizzle with melted semi-sweet chocolate.

Blueberry Dessert Pizza
Yield: 12 servings

1 pk White Cake Mix
1/2 c Chopped nuts
1 1/4 c Quick cooking rolled oats
1/4 c Firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c Margarine or butter softened
1/2 ts Cinnamon
1 Egg
21 oz Blueberry Fruit Filling

Heat oven to 350~. Grease 12" pizza pan or 13x9" pan. In large bowl, combine cake mix, 1 cup oats and 6 tablespoons margarine at low speed until crumbly. Reserve 1 cup crumbs for topping. To remaining crumbs blend in egg. Press in prepared pan. Bake at 350~ for 12 minutes. In same large bowl, add remaining 1/4 cup oats, 2 tablespoons margarine, nuts, sugar and cinnamon, to reserve crumbs; mix well. Remove base from oven and spread pie filling evenly over top. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Return to oven and bake 15-20 minutes or until crumbs are light golden brown. Cool completely. Cut in wedges or squares. Makes 12 servings.

APPLE PIZZA
Yield: 16 servings

CRUST:
2 3/4 c Flour
1 pk Dry yeast
3 tb Sugar
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 c Water
1/4 c Milk
1/4 c Butter
1 Egg

APPLE TOPPING:
2 tb Butter
2 lg Cooking apples
1/2 c Sugar
2 tb Flour
1 ts Cinnamon

CHEESE TOPPING:
4 oz Cream cheese
2 tb Sugar
1 tb Lemon juice
1/4 ts Nutmeg

STREUSEL TOPPING:
1/3 c Flour
1/3 c Sugar
1/4 c Soft butter

Blend 1 1/2 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Heat water, milk and butter until very warm; add to flour mixture and beat three minutes. By hand, stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. Cover and let rise 15 minutes. Pat dough onto a large oiled pizza pan, forming a rim around the edge. Mix the cheese topping and spread it on, then apple topping over cheese(see directions below). Mix the streusel topping and sprinkle it over the top. Cover and let rise for 15 min. Bake at 375 d, 25-30 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

APPLE TOPPING INSTRUCTIONS:

Peel & slice apples. Melt butter in skillet, add apples, sugar and flour, and cinnamon. Simmer 15 minutes, then COOL.