Blue Dessert Pizza with Spirulina, Coconut and White Chocolate

When it comes to pizza, you probably don’t picture anything blue. Ooni ambassadors, Cristina Bruno and Giuliano Bronzi (@vuoiassaggiare) are here to change that with a dessert pie that's both unique in flavour and presentation. 

There’s nothing unnatural about the blue hue of the dough: it comes from spirulina, a blue-green algae that's been used as a food source for centuries, starting with the Aztec and Kanem civilizations. Today, it’s grown all over the world and is thought to have many health benefits such as promoting gut and heart health. 

For most, spirulina has a neutral taste, and the vibrant blue acts as a bright, cheerful base for the mascarpone, coconut and white chocolate. Because this pizza is made with the help of a bain-marie – a water bath – you’ll enjoy a lighter, airier dough worth making way more than once in a blue moon. 

Cristina and Giuliano also use diastatic malt (malted barley and flour), to help nourish the yeast for a stronger rise, along with soy lecithin, an emulsifier obtained from soybean oil that produces a softer crumb. You can find these items at most health food stores or online, but if not, don’t worry, the results will still be tasty.

Difficulty

Servings

Five 8-inch pizzas (22 cm)

By Cristina Bruno & Giuliano Bronzi

Blue Dessert Pizza with Spirulina, Coconut and White Chocolate

Note

This dough uses a poolish (a preferment similar to a sourdough starter, but without the nurturing and feeding) which requires 12 hours to proof before making the dough. The dough itself will take 8 to 9 hours, so be sure to set aside at least 20 hours to prep before baking.

1. To prepare the poolish, dissolve 2 grams of fresh yeast or 1 gram dry yeast in 300 ml (1 ¼ cups) of room temperature water in a bowl.

Tip: crumble the yeast with your fingers and stir with a fork to avoid lumps. 



2. Pour 300 g (3 cups) of “00” flour into a large bowl and add the yeast/water mixture a little at a time, stirring with a fork.

 

Tip: The mixture should be very creamy because it is 100% hydrated. If you want to learn more about dough hydration, check out our Dough Hydration Explained. 



3. Place the mixture into a large container and store for 12 hours at a temperature between 16 to 18°C (60 to 65°F).



4. Once the poolish is ready, weigh out 400 grams (3 ½  cups) of flour, 134 ml (½ cup) of whole milk to be used immediately, and 196 ml (1 cup) of milk to be kept in the refrigerator.

 

Tip: Using cold milk helps to not raise the temperature of the dough too much, which would make it harder to work with; milk also gives it softness and a hydration of 90% for an open crumb, i.e. light, airy holes.



5. Combine the flour, malt, yeast, soy lecithin and spirulina in a single bowl.

 



6. Pour your poolish and flour mixture into the bowl of the mixer.



7. A little at a time, add the first portion of milk (using a squeeze bottle with a narrow spout) and mix using the first speed for 5 minutes.

 


8. Add the salt and switch to the second rotation speed.

Add the cold milk from the fridge a little at a time, again using a squeeze bottle with a narrow spout. 


9. When the dough is ready, turn off the mixer and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Turn it on again and spin 3 times. 


10. With wet hands, take the dough out of the mixer and place it on your work surface.

Let it rest for 10 minutes, then make three folds.

11. Wait another 10 minutes, then make three folds again; this will give greater strength to the dough.



12. Let the dough rest in a sealed container for 1 hour at room temperature, then place it in the fridge for 3 to 4 hours.



13. Divide the dough into 270-gram balls (9.

5-ounce); drizzle the bottom of your Ooni glass containers with olive oil, place one ball inside each, and let them rise for 3 hours at room temperature.


14. To prepare the cream, take the eggs and separate the egg whites from the yolks.

Beat the egg white with an electric hand mixer until it reaches a foamy consistency. 

Tip: You’ll know it’s ready if you turn the bowl upside down and nothing falls out.



15. Add the sugar to the egg yolks and mix with the mixer, then add the mascarpone a little at a time so that no lumps form.


16. Combine the egg whites with the sugar, egg yolk and mascarpone mixture using a silicone spatula to prevent the egg whites from disassembling.


17. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag and store in a cool place.

18. Place your cast-iron pot inside your Ooni Karu 16 and preheat it to 300°C (570°F), using the gas mode.

Check your temperature quickly and accurately with an infrared thermometer.

19. By now, your blue base will have risen.

Transfer it to a round, lightly-oiled aluminium pan. 


20. Once the oven has reached 300°C (570°F), take out the pot and pour in 200 ml (1 cup) of water, most or all of which will evaporate from the heat.

 

Tip: Pouring water into a cast-iron pot to create a bain-marie is a method for simulating a steam oven. Using a steam oven to bake dough will yield a softer product.



21. Place the aluminium pan into the pot, resting it on the edges so that it does not come into contact with water.

Spritz the dough with a water sprayer before putting the lid on.


22. Lower the heat by two notches, place the pot in the oven and close the door.

Cook for 20 minutes.


23. Take the pot out of the oven, remove the pan and take the pizza out of the pan.

Put the pizza back in the oven for 1 minute to allow it to dry.


24. Remove from the oven, cut into 4 slices and let it cool for 5 minutes.



25. Take the piping bag out of the fridge and arrange puffs of cream on the entire surface of the pizza.

 



26. Sprinkle with the shredded coconut and white chocolate flakes, which you can buy grated, or grate directly from a bar.

 Serve and enjoy!

Cristina Bruno & Giuliano Bronzi

Based in Calabria, Italy, Ooni ambassadors Cristina and Giuliano’s love for cooking has evolved over time, focusing more and more on the world of pizza. You can find their recipes, culinary advice and more @vuoiassaggiare

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