Homemade Vegetarian Pizza

This was a good night. Pizza, movies and teddy slippers.
The toppings I've listed below are what I used when making the pizza pictured below, however feel free to add whatever toppings you like!

Ingredients
(Makes 3 pizza bases)

• 1 1/2 Cups warm water
• 2 Tsp dried yeast (1 sachet/7g)
• Pinch of caster sugar
• 1 Tsp salt
• 600g/4 Cups plain flour
• 60ml/1/4 Cup olive oil, plus extra for brushing

Toppings

• Tomato pizza sauce or BBQ sauce
• 1 Diced tomato
• 5 sliced mushrooms
• Roast pumpkin (roast in small cubes)
• A handfull of pitted olives
• 1/2 Brown onion
• 1/4 Diced Capsicum
• 'Pizza topper' herb sprinkle
• Grated cheddar cheese
• Baby Bocconcini, finely sliced
• Rocket to serve

Method

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
• Combine the water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes or until foamy. 
• Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the yeast mixture and oil. Use a round-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until the mixture is combined. Use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl.
• Lightly brush a clean bowl with olive oil. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. 
• Place in the prepared bowl and turn to coat in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes or until dough doubles in size.
• Place dough on a floured surface & roll out using a rolling pin to your desired thickness. Leave to rest whilst preparing above pizza toppings.
• Place bases on an oven or round pizza tray, spread pizza sauce over your prepared bases & top as you desire!
• Sprinkle with pizza topper herbs and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden.

Tips

• If you don't have the time to make home made dough, or simply don't trust yourself making it (which you should, it's simple) Then there is an excellent alternative! You can buy pizza base mixes from Coles & Woolies, all you need to do is follow the packet instructions. There's a few different brands but I have tried Anchor/Lion and Laucke Pizza/Foccacia mix. I've included a photo below so you know what you're looking for. These were with the flour/bread making kits. 

Baked Raspberry Cheesecake

Cheesecake would have to be my all time favourite dessert.

This recipe is so simple & I'm positive that if you are a cheesecake fan, you'll love this!

Ingredients

• 1 x 250g Packet Butternut snap biscuits
• 3 x 250g Tubs Cream cheese 
• 125g Butter, melted
• 3/4 Cup raw caster sugar
• 1 x Pack organic frozen raspberries
• 3 x Eggs
• 1/2 Tsp Pure vanilla extract
• Rose pink food colouring
• 1/4 Cup cream

Method

• Grease and line a 24cm (base measurement) spring form pan
• Place butternut snap biscuits into a food processor and process until finely crushed
• Add melted butter and mix until combined
• Transfer to the prepared pan and press firmly over the base and side. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
• Place raspberries, 1/4 cup caster sugar and 2 tbs water in food processor and blend until you have a smooth puree (if your mixture is too thick, continue to add water until the desired consistency is reached). 
• Strain puree through a sieve to remove any seeds. Set aside
• Preheat oven to 160°C. Place the cream cheese, cream and remaining sugar in a large bowl and mix with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the eggs one by one, and mix until well combined.
• Add in vanilla extract, a few drops pink food colouring and raspberry puree, mix well.
• Pour your cream cheese mixture over the biscuit base. Bake for approximately 50 minutes or until set in the centre. 

Tips

• To test whether or not your cheesecake is ready, simply insert a skewer into the centre of the cake,  if the skewer comes up with some wet mixture on it, the cake needs to bake some more. If it is dry, then the cake is done!
• You can replace the raspberry puree in this recipe for just about anything! You could try strawberry, blueberry, passionfruit, caramel, chocolate...I've even made a strawberry milk cheesecake before...yum!