Dessert Pizza

There's something wonderfully playful about a dessert pizza — all the fun of making pizza, but with sweet toppings and no arguments about anchovies. This is a brilliant one to make with the family: get everyone round the pizza oven, set out the toppings, and let each person customise their own slice. The wood-fired oven gives the dough just a little char and smokiness that makes it taste far more interesting than anything from a regular oven. A proper weekend treat.

Ingredients

Pizza Dough (makes 2 bases)

• 500g strong bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 7g fast-action dried yeast (1 sachet)
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 325ml warm water

Sweet Base Sauce

• 200g Nutella or chocolate hazelnut spread
• Or 150g cream cheese mixed with 2 tbsp icing sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping Suggestions (mix and match)

• 150g strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 150g mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries)
• 1 banana, sliced
• 50g dark chocolate, roughly chopped or shaved
• 50g milk chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp honey, for drizzling
• A handful of toasted flaked almonds or chopped hazelnuts
• A dusting of icing sugar, to finish
• Fresh mint leaves, to garnish (optional)

Method

1. Make the dough: combine the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and most of the warm water, then mix to a shaggy dough. Add the remaining water gradually until you have a soft, slightly tacky dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic, or use a stand mixer with a dough hook for 6 minutes.
2. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film or a damp tea towel, and leave to prove in a warm spot for 1–1.5 hours until doubled in size.
3. Get your wood-fired pizza oven up to temperature. You're aiming for a floor temperature of around 300–350°C for a dessert pizza — slightly lower than you'd use for a classic Neapolitan, since the sweet toppings can catch quickly. Let the fire settle so you have a steady, even heat with good embers rather than fierce flames.
4. Divide the proved dough in half. On a lightly floured surface (or on a piece of baking paper), stretch or roll each portion into a rough circle about 25–30cm across. Don't worry about getting it perfectly round — a rustic shape is part of the charm.
5. Transfer your dough base onto a floured pizza peel. Working quickly, spread your chosen sweet base generously over the dough, leaving a 2cm border around the edge for the crust.
6. Slide the pizza into the oven and cook for 4–6 minutes, rotating every 60–90 seconds to ensure an even bake. The crust should be golden and puffed, with a few charred spots — that's the wood-fired magic. Watch it closely; dessert pizzas can colour faster than savoury ones.
7. Remove from the oven and immediately scatter over your fresh fruit, chocolate, and any other toppings. The residual heat will soften the chocolate slightly. Drizzle with honey, add a dusting of icing sugar, and serve straight away.
8. Repeat with the second base — or set out the toppings and let everyone build their own half.

Originally published by Bull BBQ. Adapted for UK audiences by Cedar Kitchen in the Garden.