We haven’t made homemade pizza in a very long time, but for quite awhile we made this recipe and two pizzas every two Sundays. One would go in the freezer and the we’d have the other tea and a slice or two for breakfast on Monday or Tuesday. I stumbled into the recipe for the crust last weekend and made a note to add it to online recipes so I won’t lose it again. I think when we make it again, we might do smaller versions as we’re eating less these days – and this crust is definitely not low calorie or low carb. It is, however VERY thick and tasty. I’m going to use it as a base for small salmon / garlic mini pizzas today.
A great pizza crust for those who like thick crust.
Ingredients
290 ml (1¼ C) water
3 T Olive Oil
1t Sugar or Splenda
2 t Yeast
500 g (3¾ C) Unbleached Plain Flour
½ t Salt
Handful dried onion flakes
Herbs to taste - I use about a T each of oregano, basil, mixed Italian seasonings and chilli flakes.
Instructions
If using a bread machine, put the ingredients in the machine in the order recommended. (Usually either all the dry ingredients first or the wet first). Set it for dough and let it do it's thing.
If using a TMX or a Bellini (or any other brand of thermomixer, add the water, oil, sugar, and yeast, then flour, salt, onion flakes and herbs. Blend on Speed 7 for 5 seconds then knead for 5 minutes (Speed 3 on the Bellini). Let rest for 15 minutes, then punch down and knead to remove the air and gas in the dough then shape into balls and into pizza bases. Allow to rise to double size before adding toppings.
We don't use a tomato based sauce. Instead I spread about a tablespoon of olive oil on the base and then add about 2T finely diced garlic before adding cheese and toppings and ending with more cheese.
Bake in a hot oven (220c or 450f) for about 25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly all over.
This is the Jumbo 900g White Bread TMX 5 Recipe from the Thermomix site, cut in half so as not to harm the Bellini motor. It’s great bread and makes fantastic bread rolls as well as scrolls. If you want a 900g jumbo loaf, Mix this recipe twice. Otherwise, this makes a 450g loaf.
This is the Jumbo 900g White Bread TMX 5 Recipe from the Thermomix site, cut in half so as not to harm the Bellini motor.
Ingredients
185g water
¾ tsp Sugar
1 tsp dried instant yeast
310g white bakers flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp bread improver
1½ tsp oil
Instructions
Preparation
Add all ingredients to the bowl in the order listed. Combine 7 seconds on speed 7. Then knead for 6 minutes (Dough Function). On the Bellini this is Speed 3.
Let your dough rest for 15 minutes. You can leave it in the Bellini or TMX bowl or in an oiled bowl (covered).
Place your dough on an oiled bench (I use a sheet of baking paper or an oiled bowl). Punch the dough down and continue punching / kneading until you release all the gas / air from it.
For Dinner Rolls, divide the dough into the size you want (the original recipe suggests 80g each). Roll into nicely shaped balls and place on an oiled tray (I lined mine with baking paper) spaced nicely apart.
For Bread, place all of the dough into a bread pan and be sure to push the bread down to cover the bottom of the pan.
Place in a warm place to proof, until the rolls have doubled in size or the bread has reached the top of the pan.
Baking
Bake in a preheated oven at 180c.
Rolls take about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
A bread loaf will take about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Tip out of pan immediately and place on a cooling rack to cool. Note - It will sound hollow when tapped in the centre after removing from the pan.
If you don't tell anyone this recipe is 'sugar free', they won't know - it's really delicious and easy to make. Adapted instructions for Australia are included as well.
Ingredients
1 Egg
2 Egg Whites
¾ Cups Splenda (or sugar)
½ Cups Low-fat Baking Mix (see recipes list)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
½ teaspoon Ground Ginger
¼ teaspoon Ground Cloves
¼ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1 (12oz) can Evaporated Milk (Lite / Low Fat)
2 Cups Pumpkin (or 1 can 15oz solid-pack pumpkin)
Serve With:
Whipped Topping (Lite / Low Fat) or Cool Whip
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350f or 200c (forced air fan)
In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg, egg whites, pumpkin, Splenda/sugar, homemade baking mix, vanilla and spices until smooth.
Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into 9in baking pan (I use a deeper flat bottomed baking bowl instead) that’s been coated with non-stick cooking spray.
Bake at 350f / 200c for 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted near the centre comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Serve with a dollop of whipped topping. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Notes
If using Butternut Squash, cut the squash lengthwise and scoop out strings and seeds. Hard to get out strings will come out easily after baking. Place on a foil wrapped baking tray (one with sides) with the skin side up and cook at 180c-200c (about 350f-375f) for about an hour or until very soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Scoop out any remaining strings, then scoop pumpkin into measuring cup. You need about 2c pumpkin to make the pie. You’ll probably get right around 2c pumpkin from one whole butternut squash. We don’t have ‘Cool Whip’ in Australia but you can buy cans of Reddi / Dream Whip in the shopping market. Enjoy with friends and family!
This baking mix can be used in any recipe that calls for Bisquick, and is handy to have on hand for making scones/biscuits or as part of no-crust pies such as No-Crust Pumpkin Pie.
This baking mix can be used in any recipe that calls for Bisquick, and is handy to have on hand for making scones/biscuits or as part of no-crust pies such as No-Crust Pumpkin Pie.
Ingredients
4 Cups Flour Plain
⅛ C Baking Powder
1½ tablespoons Splenda (or sugar)
½ tablespoon Salt
⅔ C Powdered Milk
⅓ C Canola Oil
Instructions
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients. Add oil by drizzling over mixture. Cut in with pastry blender until mixture resembles corn meal.
Store in covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
After I’d been in Australia for awhile, I realised that bagels were hard to find. They’re a little more common now, but finding this recipe a few years ago was a real pleasure. These turn out a little smaller than ‘normal’ bagels, but they are absolutely delicious and disappear quickly!
Place warm water, salt, sugar, flour and yeast in the bread machine pan according to the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough setting.
(Note – I really like Onion Bagels so I usually add ¼ Cup dried Onion to the breadmaker mix).
When dough cycle is complete, let dough rest on a lightly floured surface.
Meanwhile, bring 3 quarts water to boil in a large pot. Stir in 3 tablespoons of sugar.
Cut dough into 9 equal pieces and roll each piece into a small ball. Flatten balls, poke a hole in the middle of each with your thumb. Twirl the dough on your finger or thumb to enlarge the hole and even out the dough around the hole. Cover bagels with a clean cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.
Carefully transfer bagels to boiling water. Boil for 1 minute, turning over half way through. Drain briefly on a clean paper towel. Move boiled bagels to a baking sheet sprinkled with corn meal.
Glaze tops with egg white and sprinkle with your favourite choice of topping (poppy seeds, sesame seeds, etc).
Bake in a preheated 375f (190c) oven for 20-25 minutes until well browned.
This bread is light and tasty. The crust is perfectly crunchy without being overbearing. It is much lighter and a more yellow colour, due no doubt to the egg and honey.
Ingredients
400 grams Plain Flour
100 grams Wholemeal Flour
2 tablespoons Powdered Milk optional
1 teaspoon Bread Improver
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Sugar (or Splenda)
1½ teaspoons Yeast
360 ml Water warm
1 Egg beaten
1 tablespoon Honey
2 teaspoons Olive Oil
Instructions
Add the ingredients to your bread maker in the order recommended by the manufacturer. For example, my bread maker requires me to put the wet ingredients in first and then the dry, then make a small burrow in the flour mixture and add the yeast last. If planning to use the bread maker for the full baking cycle, choose ‘White Bread’ from the menu and start it. Otherwise, select the ‘Dough’ cycle.
Let the bread maker knead the bread for about 10 minutes then open the lid and check the dough. You want it to be a nice smooth ball that’s slightly tacky (like the back of a post-it note) when you touch it with your finger. If it’s too wet and the dough sticks to your finger, (which I’ve found with this recipe it often is), add 1 tablespoon of flour until the dough is the right consistency. If it’s really dry and crumbly, add 1 tablespoon of water until it becomes a smooth round ball and is slightly sticky as described above.
If you will be baking the bread in your oven, once it’s finished the dough cycle, remove it from the pan and shape it to fit in your bread pan. If you wish, you can spray the top with an olive oil cooking spray.
Set the bread aside in a warm area that doesn’t have drafts. Let it rise until double in size. Once it’s risen, preheat the oven to about 190c (375f). Bake for 30-45 minutes. I’ve found about 30 minutes is perfect but this varies with ovens when it comes to bread.
The bread is finished when it makes a hollow sound when you tap the crust.
Cool the bread for 10 minutes on a baking rack. Remove from the pan and allow to cool completely on the baking rack. (I usually fail at this last part and enjoy it warm from the oven!)
My mother always smoothed a bit of butter over the top of the bread crust when it came out of the oven and I do this too – I don’t know what benefit this has but it sure doesn’t hurt it and always brings back warm memories for me. So if you wish to add this last touch, go for it.
Notes
Don’t put the bread away in plastic wrap until it’s completely cooled. Otherwise condensation will make it soggy.
This is my absolute favourite bread, and my other half has told me never to lose the recipe as he quite likes it too. With such a ringing endorsement I thought I’d share it online as well.
This started as a mash up – a mixture of two different recipes. One was for plain white bread and the other was for wheat bread. White bread bores me, and often home made wheat bread is too dense and heavy. This recipe is compromise between the two and uses wholemeal flour.
Ideally this is a full 1kg loaf of bread, however it can be made in a 750g bread maker if you don’t mind the dough reaching and sticking to the top. OR alternatively, just use the dough cycle of your maker and then put the dough in a bread pan to rise and bake. (Instructions included below). We used a ‘Family Loaf’ sized pan for the bread included in the photos and it turned out great.
