Homestyle Focaccia Bread
Homestyle Focaccia
Yield: 5
Prep time: 4 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 34 Min
A great recipe if you're trying to dip your toes in the bread-making waters.
Ingredients
What You Need
- 2 cups Warm water
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 2 tsp Active yeast
- ¼ cup of Olive oil
- 1 tbl Kosher salt
- 5 cups of Bread Flour (Not AP flour, yes there is a huge difference)
Instructions
Let
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
- Get a bowl and pour your water into it. Then put the yeast and sugar in warm water and let sit for 10 minutes or until the yeast is active. You will know it's active when foamy bubbles form on the surface, slightly jiggle the bowl if you don't see any, and watch foam rise to the top.
- While the yeast is activating, sift your flour and salt into the stand mixer bowl. Add olive oil to the yeast liquid and then pour it into the flour bowl.
- Start mixing on a low speed until it comes together. If the dough is too sticky continue to add a pinch or two of flour slowly until it comes together in a ball. Once the dough comes together let it mix on low for 8 minutes. There may be some stuck on the bottom of the mixer at the end of the 8 minutes of kneading. If this happens give it a knead for a minute or two on a well-floured surface after the 8 minutes and it should come together.
- Get out a large mixing bowl and put a little olive oil in, use a paper towel to spread the oil around the entirety of the bowl.
- Put a little bit of olive oil in the palm of your hand and rub your hands together to avoid the dough sticking to you. Pull the dough out and place it in your large bowl.
- Cover your bowl with a plastic shower cap, or plastic kitchen wrap. You want this to be covering the entire bowl. you can also use a damp kitchen towel to cover. Let rise in a warm area of your kitchen for 3-4 hours or until x2 - x3 in size.
- Once the bread is done rising pull it from the bowl and place it on a baking sheet tray. Spread it out on the sheet tray by using your fingers so that it fills in the sheet tray and is evenly distributed. You can pick up the dough and let it stretch being very careful and intentional with your movements. Be sure not to tear the dough in this process. You want to be very delicate really trying to use only your fingers to spread it out and not work out all the air that you just spent 3 hours creating.
- Use your fingers to poke the dough to create deep dents and dimples all the way down to the sheet tray, but do not rip or tear the dough in this process. The entire baking sheet of dough should be covered in little dimples.
- Leave the dough to rise on the sheet tray for another 30 minutes using a damp kitchen towel to cover it while it rises.
- Once it has completed its second rise pour about 2-3 tbsp of olive oil over the top. No one likes a dry focaccia.
- Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes. Keep an eye on it, home ovens are all different and the time may vary depending on yours.
- Pour another tbsp of olive oil and flake salt over the top while it's still warm. Let the loaf sit for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Enjoy Angels