Focaccia
Focaccia is one of my favorite breads. It’s not something I get to eat often, but I love it when I do.
This recipe is adapted from Grain-Free Table Deep Dish Pizza. This is also the same exact recipe as the Detroit Style Pizza with the exception of using a cold fermentation process (optional).
Ingredient Notes:
Gluten-Free Flour Blend: I used Cup-4-Cup. It’s the easiest for me to find where I am currently living in northern Michigan. I genuinely feel that this recipe would work out well with other flour blends, but I have not tried others. So I can only vouch for this one.
Yeast: I used SAF Instant Yeast, so I don’t bloom the yeast prior to mixing. I just include the yeast in my dry ingredients. If you use Active Dry Yeast, then you will need to bloom the yeast. Instructions for both are included.
Toppings: For this Focaccia, I kept it simple and just used Maldon Sea Salt Flakes. Feel free to adapt and use whatever toppings you normally like on your Focaccia. Think herbs and veggies, or you could probably even do a focaccia with goat cheese, pear slices and a drizzle of honey at the end. Get creative.
Cold Fermentation (OPTIONAL): While researching recipes for GF Sourdough, I found a blog post on cold fermentation for Gluten Free Doughs. The example was for a GF pizza dough. The tester found that the dough was less grainy and the cooked product had a little more lift. Remember, without the gluten, we’re not able to get the texture of a normal focaccia. That said, I like the results of doing a 5 day cold fermentation, so I added it to this Focaccia recipe. It is completely optional for those that don’t have room in their fridge or just want the focaccia on the same day.
Pan Size: I have a preference for a thick focaccia that can hold up to toppings, or can even be sliced in half to make sandwiches. Therefore, this recipe calls for an 8x8 inch cake pan (round or square). If you prefer more of a flatbread style focaccia, then use a 13x9 inch cake pan. If you want to make a thick focaccia in a 13x9 inch cake pan, then you’ll need about 2.5 or 3 times the recipe.
Leftovers: Whatever you can’t eat when it’s warm, I highly suggest that you store the focaccia in the refrigerator and reheat before eating. GF bread does not taste great cold from the fridge. It needs to be reheated in the oven, toaster oven, or toaster (just not for the focaccia with the olive oil).
Enjoy!
Focaccia
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ c. Cup-4-Cup Gluten Free Flour Blend (273 grams)
- 3 T. Corn Starch
- 1 t. Salt
- 1 t. Baking Powder
- 2 t. Sugar
- 1 T. Yeast (Rapid Rise/Instant or Active Dry)
- 1 ¼ c. Warm Water
- 2 T. Olive Oil Plus 1/4 c. for the Pan and the Top
- Maldon Sea Salt
Instructions
- If using Instant Active Yeast: Bloom the yeast with the warm water and sugar. (No need to bloom yeast if using Instant Yeast. Just combine Instant Yeast and sugar with other dry ingredients in Step 2).
- Combine Flour, Cornstarch, Salt, and Baking Powder into Stand Mixer.
- Add Activated Yeast/Warm Water mixture to the dry ingredients along with 2 T. Olive Oil.
- Turn Mixer on Medium-High and mix for 4-5 minutes. The mixture will start off looking thin and will look like a thick cake batter after the time is up.
- Cover the bowl, and place in the fridge for 5 days (or as little as 3 days. If you don't want to do Cold Fermentation, then proof for 30 minutes in a warm place before continuing).
- Add about a quarter cup of Olive Oil to an 8x8 inch cake pan (round or square). Swirl the olive oil around the pan to coat.
- Scoop the focaccia dough to the center of the baking pan.
- With oily fingers, gently spread the pizza crust dough out towards the edges of the baking pan.
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the baking pan back into the warm place (like the stop of the stove) and let it rise, uncovered, for 30-60 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Carefully sprinkle some more olive oil on top and dimple the dough again lightly with oily fingers.
- Sprinkle the Maldon Sea Salt Flake on top of the Focaccia.
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Serve warm.
