Yeast dough pizza

Recipe adapted from http://www.kidspot.com.au/kitchen/recipes/easy-pizza-dough-1472

Not a bad recipe for pizza dough but while it came out the oven crispy, it wasn't the thin crispy crust I was looking for. But thankfully it wasn't thick bread crust either. But this recipe sure has a lot of proofing.

Ingredients (makes 4 individual sized pizzas, approx 8 to 10 inches in diameter)

3½ cups flour, + ¼ cup for dusting

Pinch of sugar

1 satchet instant yeast 

2 tsp salt

500 ml lukewarm water

3 tbsp polenta

Desired pizza toppings and pizza sauce/tomato paste

Method

1) In a very large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, sugar with a wooden. Once mixed, add the salt and mix.

2) Create a well in the centre and add the water. Combine till no more patches of dry flour.

3) Use the wooden spoon to beat for 2 minutes then turn out on a well floured board.

4) Knead by using well floured hands and periodically lifting the dough to flour the board. Knead till no longer sticky, but still a bit moist, about 5 to 10 minutes. The dough will be soft. Form a ball.

5) Oil the original mixing bowl and put the dough in. Oil the top of the ball and cover with plastic wrap. Cover with a tea towel and let it proof in a warm place for 1.5 to 2 hours till doubled in size.

6) Punch out the air and turn out onto a well floured surface. Knead for 2 or 3 minutes till smooth, elastic and doesn't stick. Cut into 4, four balls and replace in the oiled mixing bowl. Cover and allow to rest for approx 20 minutes while u prepare the pizza toppings.

7) Once ready, preheat oven to 220 deg C. Prepare the pizza pan, or I used a large cooking sheet. Sprinkle generously with polenta.

8) Fold a large non stick baking sheet of at least 20 inches length into half. Open the sheet and place one ball of dough on one half, then cover. Roll out as thin as you want.

9) Transfer onto baking tray with dusted with polenta. Shift the pizza dough so that it doesn't stick to the pan. I continued to stretch the dough as thin as I could get it without tearing. Spread on the toppings. This time, I used pasta sauce as the base, olives, tomatoes salami, bacon, roasted chicken, roasted peppers, mozarella cheese, and bocconcini. Topped with egg.

10) Put in the oven and turn down to bake at 200 deg C for 15 minutes still golden brown and cheese melted. I turned halfway. Serve immediately.

With pineapple

Other useful links

Pepperoni pizza http://joythebaker.com/2015/08/pepperoni-pineapple-and-hatch-chili-pizza/

Thin crust pizza http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-homemade-thin-crust-pizza-recipes-from-the-kitchn-45499

Thick crust yeast pizza http://www.centercutcook.com/fast-easy-pizza-dough/

Basic pizza dough http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/basic-pizza-dough-by-hand-method-recipe.html

Updated: Pizza dough using bread flour

Almond jello

Since making my almond jelly (or more accurately, almond agar agar which sounds less cool), I've moved continents and discovered that agar agar is more difficult to locate here.

My experiments showed that full cream milk and agar agar are a no no, it becomes too firm. The best is half cream milk or equal parts full cream milk and water. To activate the agar agar, the liquid must come to a boil to dissolve the agar agar. However on cooling, it starts to harden. The texture is well, a bit firmer.

Gelatine produces a softer jelly but requires about 2 tbsp for 1 litre of liquid, bearing in mind that milk actually requires more gelatine. But gelatine powder has a strong aftertaste. I have tried gelatine leaves and even though there is no aftertaste, it just doesn't set the milk. Again, half fat or equal parts full cream milk and water seem to work best. The liquid cannot be boiled, so the best is to rehydrate the gelatine in water, then add to warmed liquid before turning off the fire. The liquid needs to be chilled for 8 hours otherwise it will not harden fully. Texture is jello.

Finally, almond milk works the best with gelatine, about 2 tbsp to 1 litre liquid. This produces the best texture, like tofu.

I've heard of using evaporated milk but have not tried.

Evaporated milk and gelatine:

https://bcdairy.ca/milk/recipes/judys-almond-jelly (1 packet = 7g or 2tsp gelatine powder)

Evaporated milk and gelatine sheets:

https://gourmettraveller.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/almond-jelly/

Evaporated milk and agar agar:

http://chiaangela.blogspot.com/2016/07/almond-jelly-with-longans.html

Updated: Tried with evaporated milk

Dinner rolls

I finally made bread! Ok, more accurately it's my second time but there was no kneading the first time. The process was easier than I expected but the waiting time was indeed long and surprise surprise, my arm muscles got a workout and I was tired!

I adapted from this recipe: http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/bread-rolls. Watch her video for how to knead and shape the dough. I mostly changed the method based on my own experiences as a novice (Maangchi is obviously an expert so may have taken some techniques for granted) and also updated with measurements and timings that suit me. Note that it's late winter for me, so that affects proofing times.

Ingredients (makes 8 rolls or 6 hamberger sized rolls)

3 tbsp (45g) butter

2 tbsp sugar

½ cup cold milk

¼ tsp salt

2 eggs, divided use

2 tsp yeast (I used a 7g packet which is more accurately 2.22 tsp yeast)

1 ½ cup flour + flour for dusting (approx ¼ cup)

Method

1) Melt butter gently in a large pot. Switch off the flame. Using a wooden spoon, combine sugar and salt till slightly melted. Add cold milk and combine. Finally, beat in 1 egg till well combined.

2) Add the yeast. The mixture should be blood temperature, ie not hot nor cold when you stick a finger in. Stir and leave for a minute to activate.

3) Add the flour and mix well till there are no dry flour spots. Beat for a minute, the mixture will be very sticky.

4) Cover with the pot with its lid and leave to proof for 1 hour. I switched on the heat for a few minutes just to warm up the pot.

5) When the dough has doubled in size, punch and using 1 hand, work the dough for a minute. It should still be sticky but starting to come away from the pot.

6) Cover the pot with the lid and proof another 30 minutes.

7) Punch the air out and flour your hands and a big wooden board. Using both floured hands, knead the dough for 2 to 3 minutes. If the dough is still sticky, flour your hands and continue to work the dough. This prevents you from adding too much flour and making it too dry. Continue adding flour and kneading till the dough becomes smooth and easily leaves the pot.

8) Turn out the dough onto the floured surface and roll into a log. Pinch into 2 equal logs, and subdivide each log into whatever you need (eg 1 log into 3 for total 6 rolls, or into 4 for total 8 rolls). Using both hands, roll each log into about 8 inches long, then form the roll.

9) Place in a baking dish lined with parchment. Leave around 2 finger widths between each to allow for proofing. My mistake was putting them too far apart so they became very spread out as they could 'grip' onto their neighbours to grow taller. Also I learnt if the pan is too deep, it hinders those at the side from browning.

10) Cover dish with plastic wrap then a tea towel. Proof for 45 mins to 1 hour. I turned on the over and heated at 200 deg C for 3 minutes and turned off, then put the pan in to proof.

11) In the last 15 minutes, remove the dish and preheat to 190 deg C. Meanwhile, egg wash each roll but be careful to wash only the tops.

12) Put back the dish and bake (no grill) for 15 minutes, turning dish halfway. Without opening the oven door, turn on the grill and bake for a further 4 minutes.

13) Remove and brush with egg and bake for 1 final minute. Serve hot immediately with butter.

Recipe feedback: I'm not if it's timing or because I used egg instead of the egg white only as the recipe read, but the top came out crunchy. I'm not sure if that was the intended texture but that's ok because it will probably not be cruncht tomorrow.

Useful bread links:

How ingredients change the bread http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/bread-making-ingredients/

Bread woes http://www.virtuousbread.com/bread-and-conversation/sticky-bread-dough/