PIZZA CUPS:
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N.B.
You do not have to make them into cups this recipe can also be used to make normal pizzas too. I made them into cups this time just for a bit of fun for the children

For pizza cups you will need two cupcake tin trays containing 12 cups each.

INGREDIENTS:

DOUGH:

2 cups Plain flour
1 packet Instant yeast
1 and 1/2 tspn Sugar
1 and 1/2 tspn Salt
1/3 cup Oil
1/2 cup Luke warm water


PIZZA SAUCE:

1 Onion medium size chopped
2 Garlic cloves finely chopped/ 1 tblspn garlic paste
80-90g Tomato puree
2 Medium tomatoes chopped
3 tblspn Oil
1/2cup Water
Dried mix herbs to taste
Celery salt two pinchs
Salt to taste
Chilli/ black pepper to taste
Sugar - a pinch or two only if needed to cut the sharpness of tomatoes


TOPPINGS:

100g Grated cheddar cheese (give or take depending on how cheesy you like them- also the cheese can be substituted or used in conjunction with buffalo mozzarella, red leicester, monterey jack cheese etc depending on personal taste) 


METHOD:

-Mix together all the ingredients for the dough in a big high sided bowl.
-In the bowl knead the mix into a smooth dough ball. ( if it feels a bit too sticky add a sprinkle of flour to your hand and continue to knead)
-Once a nice smooth ball has been achieved, work the dough for a further 5 mins in the bowl. (for complete beginners, if you need an explantion of "how to knead" please look at my mixed grain bread reciepe)
-portion the dough-

*This step will differ depending on whether you are making normal pizzas or cup ones*

Pizza cups- portion into small 1 inch balls and place the balls into nonstick/pre-greased cupcake tin cups. Cover the cupcake tray with cling film.

Normal- portion into handfull sizes balls and put the portions on a floured tray leaving about 2 inches gap on all sides cover the tray with cling film

- Set aside into either an airing cupboard or any other warm place for proofing (if you do not have any such place to keep it, place it in a microwave oven that is off).
-leave it in for 1-2 hours the dough should at least double in size
-While the dough is proofing make your tomato sauce.
-To make the sauce, in a heavy bottom pot add the oil and onions and cook till transparent on a medium heat. (Stirring regularly so it doesn't burn).
-Next add the garlic and cook for further 2 mins.
-Next add tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes (stiring occasionally).
-Then add tomato puree and water
-Season with salt, chilli/pepper and celery salt.
-Cover and leave to simmer, on a low heat, for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. (if it seems to dry off too quickly then add a bit of extra water)
-Taste the sauce to check if it tastes too sharp for your liking, if so add the sugar
-Add the herbs
-Switch off the heat once the sauce has reached your desired consistency.(ideally like a thick paste like sauce, not too runny, but not a stiff paste)
-Set aside and leave to cool
-Next grate the cheese
-Once your dough is ready to use take it out of the airing cupboard/microwave etc
-Pre-heat your oven at 180 degrees celsius (gas mark 4)

For Pizza cups-
-Gently press and shape the dough into the edges of the cup shaping it like a cupcake case.
-Put just under a spoon of sauce into each dough cup
-Put about 1 and 1/2 tspns of cheese into each cup 
-Bake at 180 degrees celsius (gas mark 4) for about 15-20mins or until the cup comes out with ease and is a beautiful golden brown colour.

For Normal pizzas-
-Grease your baking tray (if you need foil on it, foil it and then grease it)
-Take one portioned out ball and place on a clean  and floured surface where you will be rolling out your dough.
-With your fingers gentle press down the ball into a flat disc shape.
-Next start to roll out your pizza dough with a floured rolling pin:

-(For the benefit of absolute beginners)-

-Take a couple of pinches of flour in your palm and rub it up and down the cylinder part of the rolling pin.
-Place the floured rolling pin in the centre of your dough so that the centre of the long cylinder part of it is in contact with the dough. If you have handles, holding both handles ( if not then holding the ends of the cylinder in the palm of your hand) pressing down gently roll the rolling pin forwards and backwards a couple of times- this will result in an oval shape with the long side being vertical.
-Next lift off the rolling pin and turn the dough 90 degrees to the right so that the long side of the oval is now horizontal. Then place the rolling pin back on the dough as before and roll as before; you should now have a more rounded shape.
repeat the above two steps rotating around the dough and rolling several times until the dough is at the desired thickness, (about a cm for thick crust, and about 4-5mm for thin crust)- you may need to sprinkle a little more flour on the surface as you lift and rotate the dough if it is becoming a little sticky to work with.
-Place the rolled out dough on to your pre-greased baking tray.
-Place about two spoons of sauce in the centre of the rolled out pizza and using the back of the spoon spread out the sauce in a spiral motion going from the centre out to the edges, leaving about a cm of the outer part of the circle free from the sauce as the crust. 
- Sprinkle about two to three tablespoons of cheese(or as desired) evenly on the sauced part of the pizza 
-Repeat for all your other dough portions.( If you have a big baking tray that you can fit in more than one pizza place the doughs side by side allowing 3cm of expanding space around them).
-Place the baking tray in the oven to bake at 180 degrees celsius, (Gas mark 4) for around 15-20 minutes or until light golden at the bottom.

-LET COOL ENOUGH TO HANDLE, ENJOY!
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​Vegan strawberry cake:

Ingredients:

2 tblspn heaped flaxseed powder

10 tblspn water

2 cups self-raising flour

1 cup (white) sugar

350-400ml blended fresh strawberries (about 8-10 strawberries)

1 cup oil (not level just under full)

​1/2 tspn baking soda

1 tspn vanilla extract (you can use essence too)

1/3 cup water (only if needed depending on size of strawberries)


Method:

-mix flaxseed powder with the 10 tbspn of water in a separate bowl leave to rest on side

- blend strawberries

- mix flour, baking soda and sugar in a big mixing bowl (a quick dry hand whisk of the two helps remove any lumps therefore reducing the need to sieve, but you can sieve if you like, it will only improve it, but I often skip it due to laziness).

- preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (Gas mark 4)

- line your baking tin with parchment paper/grease your baking tin or use a nonstick silicon cake tin, which ever you fancy (parchment paper is my fav. because it just makes life easier on the other side).

- add the blended strawberries and flaxseed paste to the flour and sugar

- next add the oil and vanilla start mixing all together. Slowly add the 1/3 cup of water as mixing, mixture should be very thick but pourable (if mixture is already quite loose due to strawberries hold back on the water)

- pour mix into baking tin and bake for about 50-60 minutes depending on your oven at 180 degrees Celsius/Gas mark 4 (reduce temperature for fan assisted ovens).



Top tip:

Avoid opening the oven door whilst the cake is baking. When you come to check at around 50-60 minutes and it looks like it is done nice and golden brown (not when it is looking close to over done -very brown) and you are tempted to take it out to check, leave it in there for a further 5 mins before you go opening the door to check. After 5 mins open the door slowly and using oven mitts take out the cake partially and check with tooth pick/knife. If it comes out clean, you can take it out. If it doesn't put it back in there for further 10-15 mins depending on how wet the tooth pick/knife was.


Please note:

The above mentioned "cup" measurement is done by a normal household tea mug (namely an old Corelle Corningware mug just so you can have a rough idea of size) it can be done with exact "cup" measurements too but that is a personal choice.

I enjoy baking and like to keep it enjoyable so I do it in a stress-free manner; hence I grab my normal tea cup, I don't fluff around with measuring cups and weighing machines when I can avoid it.

I believe the energy you put in is the energy you get out. I know you will find exactness being enforced in most baking dishes, well, not with me! With me I enforce happiness, be happy, stress-free and enjoy what you make.

Over the years what I have come to the conclusion of is, baking cakes is precise yes but its not taboo to tweak and chop and change within reason. Often I have found people are scared to bake because of these very reasons, this is why I am emphasising that if you are not a confident baker then don't worry, a few grams here or there isn't going to spell disaster! 

At home I always bake with my kids, I let them throw in the ingredients and mix till their hearts content. I don't use electric mixers just a plain old hand whisk and good old fashion muscle power. Let them enjoy making the cake, don't stress about the mess and exact millimetre perfect measurements, if it doesn't turn out looking like a fancy cake shop cake don't fret over it, they will still love to eat it because they made it themselves! Just like beauty isn't skin deep, nourishment and taste isn't either. It will be full of positive happy soul nourishing energy!

Bake Happy, Eat Happy!

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to my domain, (no pun intended), I am MAE, part time chef and full time mum of three. I currently reside near Heathrow with my Hubby and family. 

I thoroughly enjoy being a mum, yes it's crazy busy and well, just simply incredibly crazy. Nevertheless, it's who I am, who I always wanted to be, so thank you Allah Pak for blessing me with my lovely three. Alhumdulillah.

I enjoy writing, I enjoy family stories, I love cooking especially with my children. I often give them something or the other to "help me" with, whether its garlic to peel or mushrooms to chop or a little dough to knead, I leave them to their little messes. Yes it means inevitably more work for me, but it fills my heart with joy, as they fill up with pride with what they have accomplished. So in my opinion, it's definitely worth the extra clear up, (and yes there is a lot to clear up after them- hence probably why I don't "accept" offers of their help on a daily basis- shh).

Through my site I wish to share all that I love and all that I am with everyone. 

Hope you enjoy this space.

Faithfully,

MAE
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