Jo- Ploy's Pizza + Swirled choc-almond Biscotti

Well since I'm on 2 weeks break, I might as well be motivated in both cooking and baking right. I've been baking heaps since I moved to Sydney and I enjoy every bit of it. I don't think I will put in all the recipes cuz it will take me days to complete the whole list. Today, Jo and I decided that we're going to make our very own pizza from scratch as we both are too stingy to buy from domino or pizza hut..hahaha.. nah.. Just want to try and according from the recipe book, it doesn't sound like a big drama plus we both love baking/cooking and of course eating so might as well give it a try.

First recipe is Jo-Ploy's pizza (the reason we called this pizza by our names cuz for the topping, we just simply added stuffs that we like, didn't really follow the recipe book on that). However, for pizza dough and tomato pizza sauce, I give all the credit to The Australian Woman's Weekly: Great Italian food.

Pizza : 4-6 servings

Ingredients: Basic pizza dough

7 g instant yeast (2 teaspoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 (1/2) cups or 375g plain flour
1 cup (250ml) warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil

Ingredients: tomato pizza sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small white onion (80g), chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
425g canned tomatoes
1.4cup (70g) tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh oregano (I used mixed herbs for this occasion)

1 Halve basic pizza dough; roll out each half on lightly floured surface to form 30 cm round (or whatever shapes you want). Place on baking tray or oiled pizza rays. Spread each with half of the basic tomato pizza sauce; top with cheese.
2. Bake, uncovered in moderately hot oven about 15 minutes (or 200 degree celsius for 10 minutes) or until crust is golden and cheese is bubbling. Sprinkle each with basil before serving (optional).
Basic pizza dough: combine yeast, salt and sifted flour in large bowl; mix well. Gradually stir in the warm water and oil (mix water and oil together). Knead on well floured surface about 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic (windown checking). Place dough in large oiled bowl (or lightly dust the bowl with flour); stand in warm place the dough to ferment, about 30 minutes or until douh doubles in size. Knead dough on lightly floured surface until smooth. Roll out dough as required or to fit pizza tray.
Basic tomato pizza sauce: Heat oil in medium frying pan; cook onion, stirring occasionally, over low heat until soft and transparent. Stir in garlic, undrained, crushed tomatoes, paste, sugar and oregano (i used mixed herbs). Simmer, uncovered, about 15 minutes or until mixture thickens (can be made 2 days in advance and refrigerated, covered, or frozen for up to 6 months)

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Swirled choc-almond biscotti

Ingredients:
Butter 60g
Caster sugar 1 cup
Vanilla essence 1 teaspoon
Eggs 3
Plain flour 2 (1/4) cups
Baking powder 1 teaspoon
Baking soda 1/2 teaspoon
1 (1/2) cup of coarsely chopped almonds
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup plain flour

Beat butter, caster sugar, vanilla essence in medium bowl until just combined(or can do manually by soften butter first then mix with sugar and vanilla essence). Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating until combined. Mix dry ingredients together, plain flour, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in butter mixture then add coarsely chopped almonds. Cover, refrigerate 1 hour.
Halve dough. Knead cocoa powder into one half; shape into a 30 cm log. Knead the other half with plain flour. Place on greased oven tray. Bake in moderate oven 200 degree celsius for 10 minutes or until firm, cool on tray. Ising serrated knife cut log, diagonally, into 1 cm slices. Place slices on ungreased oven trays. Bake in moderately slow oven for 6 minutes ot until dry and crisp, turing halfway; cool on wire racks.