Doing Hot Pizza Dip as Part of a Show

[babywings76]

My host wanted to do the Hot Pizza Dip as an appetizer for her guests to sample while I do the demo of the Taffy Apple Tartlets. We were hoping to do this so we could show some stoneware. Even though the mini baker isn't included in the sale, I thought it would be okay to do if we also used the round stone. She is buying the baguette bread to slice and toast and have with the dip. If the dip is hot in the mini baker, is it safe to set it on top of the round stone? We were going to spritz the bread with oil and arrange it around the baker and bake it till the bread was toasted. But I wasn't sure if that's possible, or the best way to do it. The dip has a longer cooking time than the bread being toasted so I just am not sure. Any tips?

 

[chefann]

That should be OK. If you microwave all the components of the dip before you assemble it (like the breadbowl artichoke dip), it will take less time to heat through and you can just put it in at the same time as the bread.

 

[babywings76]

Since it all gets layered, should I just assemble the whole thing and put the mini baker in the microwave? Or should I combine the cream cheese, Italian seasoning, and the cheeses all together in the batter bowl and cook them. Then cook the sauce separately, then assemble and bake?

 

[jennyl]

I'm not positive of the as far as what to microwave if you go that route. I don't think you'd want to do the shredded cheese with the other stuff though.

I just wanted to share that I've doubled the pizza dip and baked it in the rectangle baker and that works too. If you have a rectangle baker you could show that. I've done that and baked the bread and dip separately.

 

[babywings76]

Do you think I could bake the bread on the stone on one rack and the dip in the mini baker (for a longer time) on the upper rack? Then I'd be putting the mini baker on an already heated stone? I just don't want to crack my round stone. Or do I stick the cranberry silicone trivet under the mini baker on the round stone.

 

[babywings76]

I'm not positive of the as far as what to microwave if you go that route. I don't think you'd want to do the shredded cheese with the other stuff though.

I just wanted to share that I've doubled the pizza dip and baked it in the rectangle baker and that works too. If you have a rectangle baker you could show that. I've done that and baked the bread and dip separately.

That's a good idea to just double it, but I'm not sure if my host will have double ingredients ready to go.

 

[babywings76]

Oh Ann---I wish you were still on! Anyone else know if this will work out okay? What I wrote in #5?

 

[chefann]

I'm back. If you want to bake the 2 stones separately, put the trivet between them when serving, just to be safe. I've baked stacked stones, but they were stacked the whole time. I've posted that recipe, actually - it's a bread wreath variation for the hot pizza dip.

 

[babywings76]

I ended up putting the bread in my bar pan because she had a lot of it, and this way I didn't have to worry about them falling off the edges. I just popped it in a little later in the cooking time of the dip. Then they were just sitting side by side when it was served. Everyone loved the recipe. That dip was so good. And my host was excited to use her mini baker for the first time. Thanks Ann, sorry I didn't get to see your message before I left for my show. I printed off that bread wreath variation the other day and want to make it sometime. It sounds so good!

 

[chefann]

I was at a craft show yesterday until 9:00, so unless you had a midnight show, you wouldn't have seen it. I'm actually up early today for Day 2 of the same show, and then I've got a vendor show tomorrow.

 

[babywings76]

Oh how funny...I didn't even look at the time stamp from your post. Ha ha! I'm not always so observant as you can tell. :blushing:Good luck at your vendor show!

 

[zmom58]

Ann,
Could you post your bread wreath variation for the hot pizza dip? I have tried looking in the files section and can't find it. Thanks!

 

[chefann]

It's not in the files. Let me look...

Hot Pizza Dip

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 t. dried Italian seasoning
1 C. mozzarella cheese, shredded
3/4 C. parmesan cheese, grated
1 8 oz. can pizza sauce
2 T. green pepper chopped
2 T. green onions sliced

Preheat oven to 350° F.

• Combine cream cheese and Italian seasoning, spread into the Mini-Baker.
• Combine mozzarella and parmesan. Sprinkle 1/2 on top of the cream cheese.
• Spread pizza sauce over the cheese mixture.
• Top with bell pepper and green onions.
• Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake for 15-18 minutes.

Serve with french bread toast or fresh vegetable dippers.

Variation:
Instead of using toasts as dippers, make bread. Use 2 loaves of frozen bread dough, thawed. The best way to do that is take them out of the freezer in the morning and put them each into a separate 1-gal plastic bag that's been sprayed with a little oil. In the evening, they'll be thawed and risen. Cut each loaf lengthwise into 3 strips, leaving them connected on one end. Braid. Pull the ends of each braid to lengthen it, and place them on the large round stone (near the edge) to form a wreath. Brush with a little melted butter (with garlic in it, if you want), then sprinkle with a little Italian Seasoning and grated Parmesan. For an extra festive wreath, top with pepperoni or bell pepper rounds like ornaments. Place the Mini-Baker with the dip in the center of the wreath. Pop the whole thing into the oven. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until bread is done.

 

[etteluap70PC]

This is awesome ann but do you slice the bread for serving or do people just pull off a piece?

 

[chefann]

Either. You can slice it with a bread knife, or just let people pull at it. It's a little hard to slice because you can't get a good sawing motion because of the baker in the middle.

 

[zmom58]

Thanks Ann. This sounds so yummy!!
Deb