Ma BABE is spoilling me...w/ caviar...etc

Homemade Crème Fraiche:

1 cup whipping cream, room temperature

1 tablespoon buttermilk or 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature

In a jar with a lid, place whipping cream and buttermilk or sour cream; cover securely and shake 15 seconds. Set aside at room temperature for 24 hours or until very thick. Stir once or twice during that time. Cream will thicken faster if the room is warm. Stir thickened crème fraiche well.

Refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving. Cover tightly and store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Thin Crust Pizza Dough (see recipe below)

1/2 cup Crème Fraiche*

4 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon

1 cucumber, sliced as thinly as possible

1 ounce caviar, Beluga, Sevruga, Osetra, or American Caviar

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

* Sour cream may be substituted.

Prepare and bake pizza dough.

Spread a thin layer of 1/2 of the creme fraiche over the slightly cooled pizza crusts. Arrange the smoked salmon evenly over the top of the creme fraiche on each pizza to completely cover. Layer the cucumber slices over the smoked salmon, overlapping slightly to create a design.

Using a pizza cutter or a large sharp knife, cut each pizza into 4 or 6 slices. On the center of each slice, dab a little bit of the remaining creme fraiche. Place 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of caviar on top of the creme fraiche and sprinkle with some of the chopped chives. Serve immediately.

Thin Crust Pizza Dough:

3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F.)

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups bread flour

2 teaspoons instant active dry yeast

Add all the ingredients in the bread pan of bread machine. Process according to manufacturer's instructions for a dough setting.

Meanwhile preheat the pizza stone or tiles to 450 degrees for 30 minutes. Prepare your toppings (see below).

When the bread machine has completed the dough cycle, remove the dough from the pan to a lightly oiled surface. Knead the dough several times and form the dough into an oval; cover with a towel and let rest for 10 minutes.

Roll and stretch the dough into a 14-inch circle. For this recipe, when kneading, leave the dough a little more wet than usual, as this will help give it a crispy crust. Divided the pizza dough into two (2) pieces and roll each section into a 9-inch circle.

Note: Dough may be refrigerated at this point and stored until ready to use. To store each batch of dough, spray a plastic bag with nonstick spray and place the dough in it. Store no longer than 7 to 10 days, or if frozen for up to 2 months. If refrigerated or frozen prior to use, allow the portions to come to room temperature before they are rolled out.

Place the dough rounds on the prepared pizza peel. Lightly brush with olive oil to within 1/2-inch of the edge. Transfer the pizzas into the oven and bake for 8 to 12 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Pizza Tip - A common problem is that the topped pizza sticks to the baker's peel. Giving the peel a quick jerk may work, but it may also jerk your toppings off the pizza as well. A helpful hint is to put a piece of parchment paper on the peel instead of using cornmeal. I place the rolled-out pizza dough on the parchment paper and then add the toppings. The parchment goes into the oven with the pizza. This makes it easier to slide the pizza off the peel and onto the baking stone.