I’ve been showing operators how to make a “killer” dessert pizza using their regular pizza dough formula (without any seasonings added) as part of my KISS philosophy. Prepare and manage your regular pizza dough, open into a pizza skin in your normal manner, brush the surface of the dough with melted butter, then give the dough a liberal sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar.
Prepare a cheese base as follows:
16-ounces cream cheese
8-ounces powdered sugar
Blend until smooth.
Add two beaten whole eggs (about 100-grams/3.5-ounces)
Mix until smooth.
16-ounces sour cream
16-ounces ricotts cheese
Mix until smooth.
Adjust the consistency of the cheese mix using a little heavy cream to achieve the consistency of mayonnaise or soft butter.
Apply to the prepared pizza skin not more than .25-inch in thickness.
The dressed dessert pizza skins can now be placed in the cooler for use later in the day, or they can be finished for immediate baking. To finish the dessert pizzas apply thin slices of apple (skin on and dipped in lemon water to control browning), halved grapes, banana slices (dipped in lemon water to prevent browning) strawberry slices, blue berries, thin sliced kiwi fruit or just about any fruit or combination of fruit you want to use. Sometimes plain and simple is best, my favorite is just apple slices. My partner in crime, Jeff Zeak likes to use well drained fruit cocktail. After finishing the dough, add a hand full of streusel (you can buy it ready made, or make it yourself by blending together:
2-pounds sugar
8-ounces honey
1-ounce salt
2-pounds shortening (Butter Flavored Crisco works great)
Mix together until creamy.
3.5-pounds all purpose flour
Slowly work into the above mixture until you achieve a crumbly consistency.
Use as needed, refrigerate for future use, keeps forever).
Bake the pizzas as you do your regular pizzas, yes, it works that way in an air impingement oven too, after baking allow the pizzas to cool for a couple minutes, and then drizzle with a powdered sugar - water icing (place powdered sugar in a small bowl, and carefully add just enough water to give a very thick consistency when stirred. Immediately transfer into plastic squeeze type condiment bottles. String the icing onto the pizzas and serve. The icing is best stored at room temperature for future use.
Note: These pizzas can be made and served fresh and hot, or they can be made ahead of time and sold by the slice either cold or reheated. For an up-charge you can reheat the slice and offer it alamode. Sure beats pouring a can of pie filling onto pizza dough and calling it a dessert pizza!
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor
