Archives for November 2014

12 Guest Posts & Roundups of Christmas #Giveaway

I am so happy to be participating in Brianne from Cupcakes & Kale Chips Twelve Guest Posts & Roundups of Christmas Giveaway. You can enter below or head on over to her blog to enter and come back on December 9th to see what yummy recipe I created!.


Since it’s Thanksgiving today, it’s time to start spreading some holiday cheer, so Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Hammy Kwanzaa, and an all around Happy Holidays! There is a full month of round-ups and some great prizes too!

Twelve Guest Posts & Roundups of Christmas Giveaway!

Just like Brianne’s usual mix of healthy eats and decadent treats, these guest posts will feature a little of everything. Check out this lineup…

12/4 – food Faith Fitness 
12/12 – The Joyful Foodie 
12/16 – Food Done Light 
12/21 – Lemons for Lulu 

In addition, we are giving you the chance to win a $200 Amazon Gift Card, plus your choice of two cookbooks: Dessert Mashups by Dorothy Kern AND Party Popcorn by Ashton Swank OR The Everything Wheat-Free Diet Cookbook by Lauren Kelly AND Sugar-Free Mom by Brenda Bennett. (P.S. those are affiliate links, in case you can’t wait and want to buy any of these cookbooks NOW!). Giveaway is open to U.S. residents 18 years of age and older, and you have till 11:59 pm on December 23rd to enter. Don’t worry – we’ll remind you all month And make sure you come back throughout the month to check out all of the December deliciousness!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Pumpkin & Pumpkin Spice Round-Up

It’s the day before Thanksgiving and I decided to do a pumpkin round-up of some of my favorite pumpkin recipes. Hopefully you have your Turkey Day meal all planned out and prepped, but in case you need a last minute idea or have leftover pumpkin, here are a few. Enjoy!

  1. Pumpkin Pie Bread Pudding by Love and Confections
  2. Pumpkin Pie Pudding with Gingersnap Crumbles by A Southern Fairytale
  3. Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili by Nutmeg Nanny
  4. Drunken Pumpkin Mocha by Real Housemoms
  5. Pumpkin Palmiers by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
  6. Pumpkin Cheesecake Martini by A Cocktail Life
  7. Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins by Aggie’s Kitchen
  8. Pumpkin Bread by White Lights on Wednesday
  9. Pumpkin Spice Orzo Pudding by {i love} My Disorganized Life
  10. Healthy Pumpkin Muffins by Food Faith Fitness
  11. Homemade Pumpkin Pie by Big Bear’s Wife
  12. Chocolate Pumpkin Layer Cake by Gotta Get Baked
  13. Marbled Chocolate Pumpkin Bread with Pumpkin Caramel by Hungry Couple
  14. Pumpkin Tres Leches by Love and Confections
  15. Pumpkin Spice Margarita by Real Housemoms
  16. Cranberry Pumpkin Bread with a Twist by A Southern Fairytale
  17. Pumpkin Sankaya by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
  18. Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Pudding Oatmeal by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
  19. Pumpkin Spice Popcorn by White Lights on Wednesday
  20. Pumpkin Protein Bars by Food Faith Fitness
  21. Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
  22. Pumpkin Fudge by Real Housemoms
  23. Pan Roasted Pumpkin and Chickpea Samosas by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventure
  24. Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Brownies by Big Bear’s Wife
  25. Bourbon Pumpkin Smash by A Cocktail Life
  26. Chicken Bacon Pumpkin Gnocchi by Nutmeg Nanny
  27. Death by Pumpkin Cocktail by Hungry Couple
  28. Breakfast Quinoa with Pumpkin and Whipped Ricotta by Food Faith Fitness
  29. Pumpkin Pie Chia Granola by Love and Confections
  30. Pumpkin Biscotti by The Pajama Chef
  31. Pumpkin Cheesecake Chimichanga by White Lights on Wednesday
  32. Pumpkin Crunch Cake by A Southern Fairytale
  33. Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter by Making Miracles
  34. Whole Wheat Apple Pumpkin Muffins by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
  35. Pumpkin Crescent Rolls by Macaroni and Cheesecake
  36. Vegan Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies by Two Peas and Their Pod
  37. Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes by Love and Confections
  38. Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle by Hungry Couple
  39. Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting by A Southern Fairytale
  40. Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing by Real Housemoms
  41. Pumpkin Sage Cornbread by Nutmeg Nanny
  42. Pumpkin-Vanilla Bean Madeleines by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
  43. Pumpkin Butterfinger Blondies by Frugal Foodie Mama
  44. Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake by Love and Confections
  45. Pumpkin Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast by Katie’s Cucina
  46. Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese by Big Bear’s Wife
  47. Oatmeal Pumpkin Bars by Aggie’s Kitchen
  48. Spiked Warm Pumpkin Spice in a Mug by Real Housemoms
  49. Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Maple Graham Crackers by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
  50. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Streusel Cake by Two Peas and Their Pod
  51. Pumpkin Cookies with Coconut Cream and White Chocolate by Food Faith Fitness
  52. Pumpkin Scones with Pecans by {i love} My Disorganized Life
  53. Low Fat Pumpkin Turkey Pasta by It’s Yummi!
  54. Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Brownies by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventure
  55. Pumpkin Pie Dip by Love and Confections
  56. Pumpkin Cannolis by Chocolate Moosey
  57. Pumpkin Spice Cookie Blossoms by A Day in the Life on the Farm
  58. Caramel Pumpkin Blondies by Real Housemoms
  59. Pumpkin Bagels by Heather’s French Press
  60. Pumpkin Cornbread Chicken Sausage Stuffing by Nutmeg Nanny
  61. Pumpkin Bagels by The Pajama Chef
  62. Savory Pumpkin Tart by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
  63. Pumpkin Bourbon Pie with Walnut Crumble by Gotta Get Baked
  64. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies by Making Miracles
  65. Pumpkin Spice Latte Coffee Cake by Nutmeg Nanny
  66. Pumpkin Brownies by Macaroni and Cheesecake
  67. Pumpkin Cinnamon Muffins by Two Peas and Their Pod
  68. Greek Yogurt Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
  69. Glazed Pumpkin Buttermilk Donuts by Barefoot and Baking
  70. Melt-In-Your-Mouth Pumpkin Cookies by Love and Confections
  71. Double Pumpkin Poke Cake by Beyond Frosting
  72. White Chocolate Drizzled Pumpkin Scones by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
  73. Pumpkin Cookie Dough Dip by Wine and Glue
  74. Easy Pumpkin Yogurt Parfait by It’s Yummi!
  75. Homemade Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup by In Katrina’s Kitchen
  76. Chocolate Pumpkin Swiss Roll Cake by Big Bear’s Wife
  77. Pumpkin Pie Cream Cheese Truffles by Love and Confections
  78. Pumpkin Spice White Russian by Nutmeg Nanny
  79. Pumpkin Risotto by Hungry Couple
  80. Pumpkin Pretzel Bites by Something Swanky
  81. Gluten-Free Pumpkin Swirl Pecan Crumb Cake by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
  82. Cinnamon Crusted Pumpkin Bread by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
  83. Pumpkin Cinnamon Streusel Pancakes by Two Peas and Their Pod
  84. Pumpkin Spice Pretzels by Heather’s French Press
  85. Iced Pumpkin Molasses Cookies by I Heart Eating
  86. Pumpkin Butternut Squash Soup by Katie’s Cucina
  87. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake by {i love} My Disorganized Life
  88. Pumpkin White Hot Chocolate by Macaroni and Cheesecake
  89. Pumpkin Loaf by Love and Confections
  90. Olive Oil Pumpkin Loaf by Gotta Get Baked
  91. Pumpkin Pecan Slow Cooker Oatmeal by Big Bear’s Wife
  92. Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Pancakes by Something Swanky
  93. Pumpkin Chai Hot Buttered Rum by White Lights on Wednesday
  94. Pumpkin Cinnamon Cream Puffs by That’s My Home
  95. Pumpkin Bacon Streusel Muffins by It’s Yummi!
  96. Pumpkin Magic Bars by Flavor Mosaic
  97. Pumpkin Buttercream Frosting by Wine and Glue
  98. Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodles by Mom on Time Out
  99. Pumpkin Butter Turnovers by Nutmeg Nanny
  100. Light and Creamy Pumpkin Soup by Hungry Couple
  101. Individual Crustless Pumpkin Pies by Cupcakes and Kale Chips

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Pumpkin Pie Bread Pudding & Le Creuset #Giveaway

Pumpkin Pie Bread Pudding is an easy and delicious dessert to make – perfect for any holiday table!

I absolutely love bread pudding. It is such an easy dessert and you can do nearly any flavor combination. You could even make a savory bread pudding and have it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The options are only limited by your imagination. I have made Apple Pie Bread Pudding and Banana Bread Pudding before, but this is my first time making Pumpkin Pie Bread Pudding and it definitely won’t be my last. Delicious!!

Individual servings are great for portion control and are pretty darn cute too. I love when everyone has their own ramekin or dish to eat from; it makes it feel a bit more special. These gorgeous Le Creuset Cocottes were the perfect choice, and color, for my Pumpkin Pie Bread Pudding. This mini cocotte set is great for entertaining and making a special dish. You can also use them for Individual soups or stews. They fit snugly on the serving tray, and even though I am repeating myself, are so cute!

I have always wanted some Le Creuset pieces. I have a teapot and these cocottes and can’t wait to continue and expand my Le Creuset collection. A Le Creuset Dutch Oven is still on my wish list, among many of their other gorgeous pieces. They also have so many beautiful colors for their cookware to choose from. Fun fact: the signature “Flame” color is the original color from Le Creuset and modeled after the bright orange color when creating the molten cast iron in a cauldron. I think my favorite colors are Palm, Caribbean, Lapis and Marseilles. They also have a Mini Cocotte Cookbook that I want to add to my ever-growing cookbook collection. You can read about the Le Creuset story here, and also browse their website to see the variety of products.
Image from Le Creuset
Now here is the fun part: you can win your own set of Le Creuset 3 Mini Cocottes with Tray by entering the Rafflecopter below. 
Pumpkin Pie Bread Pudding
A Love and Confection original Recipe
Yield: 6 small cocottes or ramekins
Pumpkin Pie Bread Pudding Ingredients:
– 250 grams Bread, preferably day-old or a bit dry
– 200 grams Granulated Sugar
– 215 grams Eggs, roughly 4 large
– 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
– 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
– 1/4 teaspoon Allspice
– 200 grams Pumpkin Puree, not pumpkin pie mix
– 250 grams Whole Milk
– 250 grams Heavy Cream
Pumpkin Pie Bread Pudding Directions:
1. Cut Bread into 1/2 inch cubes and set aside. Whisk together the Sugar and Eggs in a large bowl. Add in the Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Allspice and Pumpkin Puree and whisk to combine. Add in the Milk and whisk together.
2. Add in the Heavy Cream, whisking just to combine it. You do not want to incorporate air into the cream.
3. Pour the bread cubes into the bowl and with the back of a spoon, make sure they are all submerged in the custard and leave to soak for about 30 minutes. Halfway through the soak, toss the cubes gently to make sure they are absorbing all the egg mixture.
4. While the bread soaks, heat oven to 300F. Prepare 6 cocottes by buttering the inside or lightly spraying with cooking spray.
5. Evenly distribute the soaked bread into the cocottes and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the center is cooked completely when a skewer is inserted. Cool slightly before serving. Best served warm.


Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!
Disclaimer: I was provided the Le Creuset 3 Mini Cocottes with Tray for review. Le Creuset is providing a second set to give away to Love and Confections reader. All opinions are my own.

Pecan Streusel Coffeecake

Pecan Streusel Coffeecake is perfect when you want a slice of cake that isn’t overly sweet. It is perfect for breakfast, an afternoon snack or dessert.


This isn’t like your regular sweet, quick bread coffee cake. With the addition of yeast, this cake is more bread-like in texture and not as sweet. While I do like danishes and traditional coffee cakes as breakfast items, sometimes you want something that isn’t cloyingly sweet, yet still satisfies your sweet tooth. Don’t forget to enter in my Red Star Yeast Bread-Baking Giveaway at the end of the post. Giveaway now closed.

Like most of my baking these days, I made this recipe with Baby L&C was napping. It is very easy to make, especially since it is a no-knead yeast recipe. I decided to add pecans instead of almonds. I love using pecans in baked goods and they went perfectly with this cake. The streusel topping was my favorite part, and the cake smelled like yeasty, cinnamon deliciousness while baking!

Hopefully you have loved all the yeast baked goods I made this week. My Homemade Pizza Dough and Baba au Rhum are just some of the easy recipes you can make at home with yeast. Also, hopefully my Bread Baking Tips-Working with Yeast gave you a little explanation and better understanding of yeast.

Pecan Streusel Coffeecake
Slightly adapted from Red Star Yeast
Click here for a printable recipe

Pecan Streusel Coffeecake Ingredients:
– 3 cups Unbleached Bread Flour
– 2 packets Red Star Active Dry Yeast
– 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
– 1/2 teaspoon Salt
– 3/4 cup Water
– 1/2 cup Milk
– 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter
– 2 large Eggs

– 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
– 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
– 1/2 cup Unbleached Bread Flour
– 1/2 cup chopped Pecan Halves
– 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
– 1/4 teaspoon salt
– 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, melted

Pecan Streusel Coffeecake Directions:
1. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place 1 & 1/2 cups Flour, Yeast, Sugar and Salt. Mix to combine.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat the Water, Milk and Butter to 120-130F Please make sure you have a working thermometer that is calibrated. The temperature affects the yeast and too hot could kill it. Add to Flour mixture.
3. Add Eggs, then beat on low for 1 minute, scrape down the sides, then beat on medium for 3 minutes. Add in the rest of the flour and mix by hand to create a stiff dough.
4. Prepare a 9×13 pan with baking spray and spread mixture in evenly. It is very sticky so wet your hands slightly and also use an offset spatula to help spread the dough. Set aside while preparing topping.
5. Mix together the Sugar, Brown Sugar, Flour, chopped Pecans, Cinnamon, Salt and Butter. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the cake. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.
6. During the last few minutes of rising, heat the oven to 375F. Bake the cake for 25 minutes until it is golden brown. Let it cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Disclaimer: Red Star Yeast provided me with samples of the yeast used in these blog posts. Red Star Yeast is providing the prize package. All opinions are my own.

Baba au Rhum #BundtBakers

Baba au Rhum is a delicious, rum-soaked yeast cake full of flavor (and booze!) and great for any occasion or holiday party!


Most people would think of yeast when it comes to cake. Hopefully this cake will change your mind. It is absolutely delicious, and you get a lot of rum! Baba au Rhums are usually made in individual servings, but I decided to make it as my bundt cake this month. Don’t forget to enter in my Red Star Yeast Bread-Baking Giveaway at the end of the post. There are some awesome goodies in the prize package!

Sometimes fruit is added, like currants or rum-soaked raisins. I decided to not add fruit, but instead add vanilla bean paste. Vanilla is one of my favorite flavors and I loved the addition of it in this cake. Seeing all the little flecks of vanilla seeds makes it extra special. Vanilla also pairs great with rum. I used the darkest rum I had, which I think makes all the difference.

When making the syrup, you might think it is too much, but believe me, the cake will soak it up. You can use less syrup if you want, because the rum in this cake definitely gives it a kick. It was quite fun making a yeast cake as opposed to a cake with regular leavening agents. After the first rise, the cake was about halfway up my pan. When I checked on it after the second rise I was so happy because the cake was all the way to the top. It really is fun working with yeast and watching it happen right before your eyes.

Baba au Rhum
Slightly adapted from Red Star Yeast
Click here for a printable recipe

Baba au Rhum Ingredients:
– 3 cups Unbleached Bread Flour
– 2 packets Active Dry Yeast, about 4 & 1/2 teaspoons
– 1/4 cup Water
– 1/2 cup Milk
– 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
– 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
– 1/2 teaspoon Salt
– 4 large Eggs
– 1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract
– 1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste

– 1 cup Dark Rum
– 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
– 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Baba au Rhum Directions:
1. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add 1 & 3/4 cups of the Flour and all of the Yeast, and blend briefly to incorporate.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat the Water, Milk, Butter, first measure of Sugar and Salt, while continuously stirring, to 120F-130F. The temperature is important so as not to kill the yeast. Please make sure you have a working and calibrated thermometer.
3. Pour the liquid into the flour, then add the 4 Eggs. Mix on low for 30 seconds, scrape down the sides, then mix on high for 3 minutes. Add in the remaining flour and mix on low to combine.
4. Take out the paddle and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it rise about 30-45 minutes or until it has doubled in volume.
5. Use baking spray to grease the insides of a bundt pan. Once the cake has doubled, pour it into the bundt pan, spreading it out evenly, and covering with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with baking spray. Let it rise a second time for about 30-45 minutes or until it has doubles once again in volume.
6. Near the end of the second rise, heat the oven to 350 degrees. One thing to note, make sure you use the lowest rack in your oven so the top of the cake does not burn. Bake the cake for 25-35 minutes or until it is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. If you need to, you can cover the top with foil after 20 minutes of baking if it starts to brown too much.
7. During the last few minutes of baking, make the rum simple syrup. In a small saucepan, heat the Rum and Sugar until the sugar completely dissolves, stirring frequently. Pour the syrup into a measuring cup with a spout then add the Vanilla Extract and stir.
8. Poke the bottom of the cake with a skewer, then turn the cake out onto a stand or plate and pike the entire top and sides of the cake also with a skewer. Very slowly, pour the rum syrup over the cake, making sure it soaks in. If the syrup pools, let the cake soak it up before serving.

Don’t forget to check out all of the wonderful Boozy Bundt Cakes this month!

BundtBakers

Interested in learning more about us?? #BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. You can see all our of lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the BundtBaker home page here.

 If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com. If you are just a lover of Bundt baking, you can find all of our recipe links by clicking our badge above or on our group Pinterest board.

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Bread Baking Tips – Working with Yeast

Don’t be afraid of using yeast. This post contains a lot of information, but it is necessary to understand yeast before diving head first into your first bread, or a good refresher for anyone who has worked with yeast before. Don’t forget to scroll all the way down and enter for your chance to win the Bread-Baking Giveaway! Giveaway closed.

Yeast is a one-celled living organism that is practically everywhere. Yeast is on vegetables, fruits and even in the air. It requires specific conditions to grow, including moisture, warmth and sugar. Yeast is sensitive to temperature, so it slows down or speeds up depending on the temperature around it. 

There are a few different types of yeast available. Baker’s Yeast is a commercially grown, laboratory made yeast available to professional bakers. Commercial yeast is more readily available for the home baker: Fresh or Compressed Yeast, Active Dry, Instant Active Dry and Osmotolerant Instant Active Dry. Fresh or Compressed Yeast usually comes in a small cake shape, is light in color and crumbles easily. It does not require the warmer water temperature to dissolve and cannot be killed with cold water. Fresh Yeast lasts about 2 weeks and can be frozen for 3-4 months. 


Active Dry Yeast are tiny granules that have been dried or dehydrated to increase its shelf life, and sold in vacuum-packed jars or packets. If unopened, the Active Dry Yeast usually has a shelf life up to 1 year. Once it is opened, storing in the refrigerator for up to 2 months is recommended. A small percentage of the yeast may die due to the drying process. It is always good to do a yeast test before baking, to make sure your yeast is still good. Yeast becomes dormant when dried until mixed with warm water and re-hydrated. When baking with Active Dry Yeast, it usually needs 4 times its weight in warm water to activate. Cold water can damage or kill it, as can water that is too hot. 



Instant Active Dry Yeast, usually referred to as Instant Yeast or Rapid-Rise Yeast, is similar to the Active Dry by going through a drying process. The Instant Yeast drying process is a little more gentle and usually produces fewer dead yeast cells. Instant Yeast absorbs water more quickly and does not have to wait several minutes to activate. It also makes more carbon dioxide gas per cell than Active Dry Yeast, so a smaller amount can be used to achieve the same results. Instant Yeast doesn’t require proofing and can be sprinkled directly into the dry ingredients or dissolved into a portion of the wet ingredients when baking. Similar to Active Dry, Instant Yeast should not be added into cold water or dough because the temperature can damage or kill it. Instant Yeast usually has a longer shelf life than Active Dry Yeast – unopened at least a year, or stored in the refrigerator for several months. It is best when it is wrapped air-tight and kept in the freezer. 




Osmotolerant Instant Active Dry Yeast is a special yeast used in rich, sweet doughs that contain a higher amount of sugar, eggs and fats. Osmotolerant Yeast is designed to work with the small amounts of moisture in these types of breads, where Active Dry and Instant might have a harder time. This type of yeast is not as common as the Active Dry or Instant, which are more readily available in stores. 

Here are a few good resources for more information on yeast:

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Information summarized from Red Star Yeast and “About Professional Baking”.

Homemade Pizza Dough

Homemade Pizza Dough is easy to make and tastes delicious! You can even make individual pizzas so everyone can customize just what they want.

Homemade Pizza Dough by Love and Confections - easy to make and perfect for any night of the week


I did a lot of bread baking in culinary school and realized that I have not shared any yeasty goodies on the blog in all my years of blogging. Well, that is about to change. I have a whole week of recipes and tips for working with yeast. A lot of people I have talked to, even some blogger friends, are intimidated by yeast. Using yeast should be the opposite of intimidating, it should be fun. When you make something with your hands, let it rise, shape it and bake it, the finished product is worth it all. There really is nothing like the smell of fresh-baked bread coming out of the oven.

Homemade Pizza Dough by Love and Confections - easy to make and perfect for any night of the week

I love doing pizza parties with friends. Everyone has their own individual pizza and they can customize it with whatever topping and ingredients they want. We usually have a red sauce and a pesto for the base and fresh sliced or shredded mozzarella for cheese. The toppings vary, just like the friends gathered – pepperoni, sausage, meatball, chicken, anchovies, peppers, black olives, mushrooms, artichokes, you name it, we probably have it. My favorite toppings are meatball and mushroom – can’t beat that!

Homemade Pizza Dough by Love and Confections - easy to make and perfect for any night of the week

Homemade pizza dough is easy to make, and double, if you are feeding a crowd. It can be made in advance and frozen, or made the day of to use. This recipe is a versatile dough that can be used for thick or thin crust pizza, depending on how much you use and roll out.

Homemade Pizza Dough by Love and Confections - easy to make and perfect for any night of the week

Red Star Yeast sent me some samples of their yeast so I could try it out for myself. I used the Platinum Yeast in this pizza dough recipe, because I wanted a great pizza dough. The Platinum Yeast strengthens the dough and improves the tolerance to variation in kneading, rising and flour quality. Everyone uses different recipes, has different kneading styles and uses different kinds flour, so the Platinum yeast helps produce a consistent product. Since the Platinum yeast has dough improvers, it helps make a consistent dough that retains its leavening and volume during baking and decreases the risk in the dough collapsing after proofing. We all want a nice light and airy dough and the Platinum Yeast does the job.

If you would like to learn more about Red Star Platinum Yeast and the advantages of the Platinum Yeast you can go click here. Red Star Yeast is also currently partnering with Stop Hunger Now and if you would like a buy one, get one free strip of 3 yeast packets, fill out this form.

Homemade Pizza Dough
slightly adapted from About Professional Baking
yield: 1 large thick crust or 2 medium crust pizzas
Click here for a printable recipe

Pizza Dough Ingredients:
– 3 & 1/4 cups Bread Flour, plus more for dusting your work surface
– 1/4 cup Yellow Cornmeal, plus more for dusting pans
– 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
– 1 & 3/4 teaspoons Red Star Platinum Yeast
– 1 & 1/3 cup Water, warmed to 110F/43C
– 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– 1 & 1/2 teaspoon Salt
– Cooking spray
– Pizza sauce, cheese and toppings

Pizza Dough Directions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the Bread Flour, Cornmeal, Garlic Powder and Red Star Platinum Yeast together. Create a well in the middle and add in the warm Water and Olive Oil. With your hands or a spoon, mix until the dough comes together and forms a ball. (it might look a bit ragged). Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
2. Sprinkle the dough with the Salt and knead it in on a flat surface for 1-2 minutes or until the dough becomes elastic (It should be slightly springy after kneading and not too sticky)
3. Spray the inside of a medium bowl with Cooking Spray. Place the dough in the bowl, then turn it so it faces up and all sided are greased with the spray. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it over the bowl, spray side down. Let the dough rise for roughly 1 hour, or until it doubles in volume. (make sure it is in a warm place to rise, do not put it directly under an air conditioning vent)
4. Place the dough on a flat surface that has been lightly dusted with flour. You can make 1 large thick crust pizza or 2 medium crust pizzas. For 2 pizzas, cut the dough into two equal portions. Knead each portion to slightly deflate it and then cover with a damp kitchen towel. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes. (resting lets the gluten relax and allows for a better shaped pizza)
5. Heat oven to 450F while the dough rests. Prepare 2 pizza pans or sheet pans with sides by sprinkling Cornmeal on the pan to prevent the dough from sticking. Roll each dough ball to your desired thickness and place on the pans. Add sauce, cheese and toppings and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly brown and puffy. Let it cool slightly before cutting. Enjoy

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Disclaimer: Red Star Yeast provided me with samples of the yeast used in these blog posts. Red Star Yeast is providing the prize package. All opinions are my own.