Italian Herb Focaccia

 

This is the second bake of my new Bake Off bread challenge, a focaccia from Series 2. I have made a few focaccias recently but none have worked out quite as I wanted due to either not being patient enough for the dough to fully prove or it ending up too thin. However, I think this week I've managed to crack it. My tips are to ensure you give the dough enough time to prove on its first rise to at least doubled but ideally tripled so it's full of air, to tip it out and stretch it really gently with plenty of oil, and then to add you indents just before it's due to go into the oven. These factors together should help give it the irregular air holes you expect from a classic focaccia. It's also best to not be scared of using oil on the bread as this helps it brown and gives it flavour. 

Recipe - Serves 4-6

• 435g strong white flour 
• 9g salt 
• 9g fast action yeast 
• 25ml olive or rapeseed oil
• 320ml water  
• Italian Herb mix (basil, oregano, parsley, thyme and rosemary )
• Olive or rapeseed oil, for kneading and drizzling

Put the flour into a bowl. Tip the yeast on one side and salt on the other, then add the oil then the water and mix together to form a rough wet dough. Turn out onto an oiled work surface or use a mixer fitted with a dough hook and knead for 10 minutes until elastic and smooth. Return to the bowl and leave at warm room temperature to rise for 2 hours, until tripled in size and bubbly. 

Oil a rectangle swiss roll tin and tip the bowl upside down over the tin, letting the dough fall out. With oiled hands, stretch the dough out towards the corners. Cover and leave to rise for 45 minutes to doubled. Use oiled fingers to press indents into the dough, drizzle a bit more oil and Sprinkle over the Italian Herb mix. Bake at 190C for 20-25 mins or until browned. Remove and leave to cool before slicing to serve.