Chocolate-Berry Breakfast Pizza
When I was growing up, I can honestly say that I never ate chocolate for breakfast. Not once! We certainly ate it at other times of the day, but never breakfast. But as an adult, I have a new motto: “Who says you can’t have chocolate for breakfast?”
How about a decadent chocolate pizza for breakfast?
My standard pizza recipe is the answer—sweetened up a notch—becoming the base for chocolate, berries, and nuts. And it is just plain gorgeous, as well.
When I originally developed this recipe, I had hoped to use Nutella or Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut Butter Blend as the chocolate—which European kids grow up eating, much like American kids eat peanut butter. But I found it wasn’t as easy to spread, perhaps needing some warming in the microwave before it became “spreadable.”
So, I turned to chocolate chips which were much easier to handle. I think you will like this decadent breakfast.
Chocolate-Berry Breakfast Pizza
Recipe by Carol Fenster© www.CarolFenster.com
This is the same crust as my famous Pizza, but with additional sugar (plus cinnamon and vanilla) to make the perfect base for lovely spring berries, resting on a layer of yummy chocolate. Dusted with powdered sugar, it makes a gorgeous dish.
Makes a 12-inch pizza
YEAST MIXTURE
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm (110°F) milk of choice
4 teaspoons sugar, divided
DRY INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup brown rice flour, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 cup potato starch
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
LIQUIDS
1 tablespoon canola oil, plus extra for brushing the crust
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
TOPPING
1 cup gluten-free chocolate chips, or more to taste
1/2 cup fresh berries, such as raspberries or sliced strawberries OR dried fruit such as apricots, cherries, blueberries, or cranberries
2 tablespoons slivered almonds (or your favorite nuts)
Powdered sugar, for dusting
[1] Place oven racks in bottom and middle positions of oven. Preheat the oven to 350⁰F. Dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar in warm milk for 5 minutes. In food processor, blend yeast mixture, remaining sugar, oil, and vanilla until dough forms very soft ball. (Or, blend in medium bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed.)
[2] Place pizza dough in center of greased (no cooking spray; it hinders spreading dough on pan) 12-inch nonstick (gray, not black) pizza pan. Liberally sprinkle rice flour onto dough; then press dough into pan with your hands, continuing to dust dough with flour to prevent sticking. Make edges thicker to contain toppings, taking care to make dough as smooth and even as possible for prettiest crust.
[3] Bake pizza crust 10 minutes on bottom rack. Remove from oven and brush edges of crust with a little canola oil. Place pizza on middle rack and bake until edges are nicely browned, about 10 minutes—depending on your oven. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Remove pizza from oven and sprinkle with single layer of chocolate chips (or warmed chocolate-hazelnut spread) to completely cover pizza crust. Return to oven and watch carefully as chips melt. Remove from oven and top with berries and almond slivers. Let pizza stand until it cool enough to handle (about 5 minutes), then cut and eat warm, dusted with a little powdered sugar.
