Key Ingredients
Garlic – Infuses the dough and toppings with a warm, fragrant flavor, enhancing the overall taste.
Bread Flour– High-protein bread flour creates more gluten, giving the focaccia a chewy, airy, and slightly springy texture.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil– Gives focaccia its signature rich, fruity, slightly peppery taste. It’s what makes each bite taste “authentic” and aromatic. It helps create a tender, moist crumb inside the bread. Brushing oil over the dough before and also after baking gives the crust a delicate crispness and a golden color.
FAQ’s
Helpful tips
Here are some important Pro tips by Maude
- You you mix and knead the focaccia, it will be wet, that is okay. You should wet your hands before kneading. If you find that your dough isnt coming together as you knead, add a tbsp of all purpose flour to help.
- If you need a warm, dry place when proofing your dough- try your microwave OR better yet… turn your oven on to the lowest ( I think mine is 175 degrees) setting and then once that temp is set, turn off the oven and then place your pan inside.
- Don’t forget to bake your focaccia on the lowest rack in the oven. Getting that crispy bottom is critical and oh so delicious!
- I love focaccia because it is hard to screw up! Just remember these three things, you need warm water no cooler than 105 degrees and no warmer than 115 degrees (this activates the yeast) a lot of olive oil (dont worry it only flavors the bread more!) and lots of rest time! Thats it! you will get beautiful, fluffy focaccia every time if you follow these tips!
More Recipes!
Here are some similar recipes you might enjoy!
If you try this recipe, I would love your feedback! Please leave a star rating, a comment below or on the reel in Instagram! Also please share what you made and tag @eatmaudes !! Thank you so much for stopping by and making yumminess with me!
Perfectly Golden Focaccia
SERVINGS 10
**This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you
Equipment
Ingredients
Focaccia
- 4 cups (500 g) bread flour (spooned & leveled, not packed
- 1 3/4 tsp (5.5 g) instant yeast
- 2 tsp (12 g) salt
- 2 tsp (14 g) honey
- 2 cups (473 ml) warm water, about 110–115°F (43–46°C)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus more for pan, topping and kneading
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh herbs, chopped fine (i like to use a mix of rosemary, parsley and basil) OR 2 tsp of dried herbs
- Flaky sea salt for topping
Instructions
Enable Step-by-Step Mode- For the focaccia: in a medium saucepan, place the 3 tbsp of olive oil, fresh herbs and garlic. Turn heat to low, mix with a wooden spoon. Let the mix come to a light simmer, then remove from stove. Garlic should be fragrant, not burnt. Let mix cool.
- Place flour, yeast, salt, honey and cooled olive oil mix in a large bowl. Pour in warm water and mix with a wooden spoon. Once the flour is wet, let the mix sit for about 10 minutes. Mix again until dough comes together and the flour disappears. Wet your hands and begin the "stretch and folds". For this method, I pull one chunk of dough up above the bowl, stretch it then wrap it around the rest of the dough. I repeat this about 8-10 times. Wait another 20-25 minutes and repeat this process. Cover tightly and chill in the fridge over overnight. Focaccia will likely double in size. Note: I use a bowl that has a lid that seals over the top- you can find it easily on amazon
- Using 3 tbsp of olive oil, grease a 9×13 pan. Place your focaccia dough into the pan. Spread gently with your fingers. Cover the dough with another pan of equal or greater size (the dough needs room to rise). Let the dough rise in a warm/draft free place for about 60-70 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Remove the top pan again and drizzle some olive oil on top of the focaccia. Grease your hands and gently dimple the focaccia. Sprinkle with some flaky sea salt then place in the oven. *Note: place bread on the lowest rack of the oven, this helps get the bottom of the focaccia nice and brown and crunchy!
- Bake bread and then remove from the oven after about 15 minutes of baking. Using a pastry or silicon basting brush, baste the focaccia with some olive oil. Place focaccia back in the oven and bake for another 12-15 minutes. You’ll know bread is done when the top is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
- Remove focaccia from the oven. After about 10-15 minutes of cooling baste again with some olive oil and lift focaccia out of the pan. Or you can slice and serve from the pan.
Pro Tip: Focaccia should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, set oven to 375 and bake for 15 minutes.
I only have actuve yeast can I use that instead ?
Hi Brook,
Yes you can! I would just activate the yeast in the warm water (let it sit for about 10 – 15 min til its frothy/foamy) then proceed with the recipe as its written 🙂 I hope this helps! Thanks for your question- enjoy!
xo maude
Absolutely perfect. Thorough and easy instructions to follow. I added some fun toppings that really took this to another level. My first time baking bread and wow, so easy! Thanks for helping me get out of my comfort zone with this one, Maude!!
Hi Haley!
How exciting- a first timer in bread! Im so glad to hear that the instructions were clear. I love focaccia so much because you can literally put anything in it- so great job on exercising free will! <3 happy baking! maude
Fantastic recipe! I finally got a chance to make this for a dinner party as one of the appetizers and it turned out perfect. It was a huge hit and I was happy knowing I could trust the recipe and instructions. Thanks so much!!
Hi Cate,
Gah, how exciting! I absolutely love focaccia and Im so glad to read that you and your friends/family enjoyed it! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and taking the time to leave a comment- Im incredibly grateful! Cheers! -maude