Focaccia is the bread you need to be making right now. the “daily bread” of thousands of Italians, it has been making fast inroads into American culture thanks to beautiful and inspiring posts all over social media. But how can you be sure your focaccia turns out sandwich-perfect every time? With temperature, of course! Follow our temp tips below for perfect focaccia starting with your first batch.
Focaccia is an Italian yeasted flatbread, often of high hydration, that is cooked in a pan. Its name comes from the fact that in Roman times it was cooked in the embers of the hearth, which is called focus in Latin. Focaccia is the bread baked in the focus. The bread from southern France, fougasse, shares the same etymology and often the same simplicity of recipe, but is often baked freeform on a stone, not in a pan.
Focaccia is a lean-dough bread—there is almost no sugar in it and there is no fat in the dough to enrich it. That means that it is done cooking between 190 and 210°F (88 and 99°C). (Yes, bread—even focaccia—has doneness temps, and no, you’re not figuring out if this bread is done by thumping it on its bottom, nor should you go by color alone. Use your Thermapen ONE to check the doneness of the bread in its center to be sure that the middle isn’t still doughy.)
If you’re thinking to yourself that there’s no way focaccia is a lean-dough bread, I was right there with you. After all, one of the key characteristics of focaccia as we see it now is a solid drenching of olive oil. But in fact, the bread has no oil added in its dough stage, making it lean. And that is evident in the way focaccia is used in Italy, where it is a daily bread, made fresh for the day, and eaten on the day. It doesn’t keep well, staling quickly. But if you eat it fresh on baking day? It’s wonderful!
Though the dough is lean, the bread itself practically swims in olive oil. It is doused in it as it rises, oil goes in the pan before the dough does, and the top of the bread is dimpled and generously swathed in more olive oil before baking. The results are incredible. The edges are crisp, literally fried in oil, the top has crunch but won’t cut the roof of your mouth. The overall impression is one of tenderness, of kind yielding, of a deep-fried cloud upon which you can build your best sandwich. Some oil will get into the dough during the folding, but not enough to make this a “rich dough” bread. It’s a lean dough bread disguised as a rich dough.
Bake the focaccia until it’s light golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the focaccia from the oven, and immediately turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. Enjoy focaccia hot from the oven, or warm; focaccia is best the same day it’s made.
A good average cooking time of 20 minutes. But after 15 minutes, it is important to turn the baking tray and ensure that all sides are cooked thoroughly. After the remaining 5 minutes, it can be continued by checking time to time. It should be cooked until it turns golden brownon the top. When it turns golden brown, lift it from the corner and see if that the bottom part is also golden brown. Other Questions About Focaccia Bread
Focaccia is a flat leavened oven-baked Italian bread, similar in style and texture to pizza; in some places, it is called “pizza bianca” (“white pizza”). Focaccia can be served as a side dish or as sandwich bread.
Focaccia is an Italian yeasted flatbread, often of high hydration, that is cooked in a pan. Its name comes from the fact that in Roman times it was cooked in the embers of the hearth, which is called focus in Latin. Focaccia is the bread baked in the focus. The bread from southern France, fougasse, shares the same etymology and often the same simplicity of recipe, but is often baked freeform on a stone, not in a pan.
Focaccia is the bread you need to be making right now. the “daily bread” of thousands of Italians, it has been making fast inroads into American culture thanks to beautiful and inspiring posts all over social media. But how can you be sure your focaccia turns out sandwich-perfect every time? With temperature, of course! Follow our temp tips below for perfect focaccia starting with your first batch.
This focaccia is absolutely delicious. When we were finished baking it and taking pictures, we didn’t even want to offer any to our coworkers—just a few of us ate the whole thing! It’s soft, fluffy, has a beautiful crumb, and, if you follow the critical temps we’ve noted, sure to come out great. Happy baking!
Though the dough is lean, the bread itself practically swims in olive oil. It is doused in it as it rises, oil goes in the pan before the dough does, and the top of the bread is dimpled and generously swathed in more olive oil before baking. The results are incredible. The edges are crisp, literally fried in oil, the top has crunch but won’t cut the roof of your mouth. The overall impression is one of tenderness, of kind yielding, of a deep-fried cloud upon which you can build your best sandwich. Some oil will get into the dough during the folding, but not enough to make this a “rich dough” bread. It’s a lean dough bread disguised as a rich dough.
We’ve already discussed doneness temps for focaccia, but there are more places for your thermometer to do its thing, specifically, during the initial dough production. Waking up the yeast so that it is most effective is a thermal matter. Use your Thermapen ONE to make sure the water you use in your dough is 100-105ºF (38-41ºC)—warm enough to activate the yeast but not hot enough to kill it.
Identifying Proofing Levels in Dough | Baking Techniques
FAQ
How do you know if focaccia is undercooked?
How do you know when focaccia is done rising?
Can you prove focaccia too long?
How do you tell if a loaf of bread is done?
How do I know if my focaccia is crispy?
Test different cooking vessels. Different surfaces affect focaccia texture in different ways. Baking sheets give a thinly crunchy bottom. Cast-iron pans (put in the oven) give more of a nuanced crunch.
How do you make focaccia look good?
After you’ve shaped focaccia on your cooking surface, lightly dimple its top with your fingertips. It’s OK if some dimples go as deep as half an inch. They give focaccia visual drama. As you douse olive oil over the top, let it pool in the hollows, creating brown patches during baking. Top with other fresh ingredients.
How do you cook focaccia in the oven?
Preheat the oven: About 15 to 20 minutes before the focaccia is ready, preheat your oven to 450°F. Bake the focaccia: Coat your fingers in a little oil and dimple the dough. Drizzle the dough with 2 more tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle with flaky sea salt and fresh rosemary, then bake until lightly browned on top.
When should you proof a focaccia?
Proof your dough. An hour or more before you bake focaccia, shape your dough for proofing. (There are many other intricacies that bakers consider at this stage–like the art of folding dough for individual loaves or sheets of bread–but wait to pursue folding until after you’ve made many focaccia batches and mastered the basics.)