Golden & Bubbly Focaccia Bread

Beautiful and bubbly golden Focaccia

Focaccia Bread

I know some might disagree, but I would argue that focaccia bread is one of the easiest breads to make in the world. The work of kneading is very light, you don’t need a mixer to make it, and it spends most of the time just sitting and rising. I would say it requires maybe a total of 15 minutes of actually handling it combined, the rest of the work is just in the waiting. Time is the most important ingredient in the whole list, as with most fermented doughs; and it is definitely worth the wait. But it is possible to make a delicious focaccia bread in one day! It will take all day, but nevertheless it is achievable. This recipe includes both methods, so if you have a lot of time, or not as much time, you have come to the right place. 1 day is good, 24 hours is even better, 48 hours is amazing. No matter which adventure you choose, if you follow this recipe, you’ll have delicious bread and everyone will love it. Play around and see what happens!

Note: This recipe is big- meaning it will yield a whole standard sheet pan of bread. You can cut it in half, but if you’re going to go through the trouble I encourage you to make it as written. You can always freeze it but given how delicious this is, it will get eaten.

I spent the better part of two weeks and about 5 attempts to get this where I want it. Extra bubbly-golden- delicious. Ultra-hydrated, long-fermented Italian-style focaccia with a crisp, golden crust and an airy, open crumb.

Yield: 1 large 13 × 18-inch focaccia

Hydration: 90%

Prep time: 30 minutes

Fermentation: 24–48 hours for the 2-day version

Bake time: 20–25 minutes

Ingredients

Focaccia Dough

• 1,000 g bread flour, preferably 13–14% protein

• 900 g water, divided

• 22 g fine sea salt

• 2 g instant yeast (7g if making the same day)

• 20 g extra-virgin olive oil

For the Pan

• 50–70 g extra-virgin olive oil

Optional Salt-Water Emulsion

• 50 g water

• 10 g fine sea salt

• 30 g extra-virgin olive oil

2-Day Focaccia

The long-fermented version produces the deepest flavor and most developed open crumb. When performing a longer fermentation, keep your dough at room temperature before the cold rise. It’s not necessary to proof in a warm place with this type of rise. However that would be necessary for a faster fermentation.

Day 1: Prepare the Dough

1. Autolyse

“Autolyse” refers to a dough resting period.

Combine the bread flour with 820 g of the water. Mix until no dry flour remains.

Cover and let rest for 45–60 minutes.

2. Add the Yeast

Dissolve the instant yeast in the remaining 80 g water.

Add to the dough and gently squeeze and fold until the water is incorporated.

3. Add the Salt and Olive Oil

Sprinkle the salt over the dough. Using wet hands, pinch and fold the dough until the salt is evenly distributed.

Add the olive oil and continue folding until incorporated.

The dough will be very loose and sticky.

4. Build Dough Strength

Stretch and fold= pulling a section of the dough up and away and pushing down into the middle of the dough.

Coil fold= lifting the dough with both hands and gently folding into itself. This helps to preserve gas bubbles in the dough.

Either one of these methods is great!

Keep the dough at approximately 72–75°F (22–24°C).

Perform a gentle coil (or stretch and fold) at:

• 30 minutes

• 60 minutes

• 90 minutes

• 120 minutes

  
  

After the final fold, leave the dough undisturbed.

Continue bulk fermentation until the dough has increased approximately 50–75% in volume and is visibly filled with bubbles. This will generally take another 2–3 hours, depending on room temperature.

5. Cold Fermentation

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled, covered container.

Refrigerate for 24–48 hours.

For the best balance of flavor and texture, approximately 36 hours is recommended.

Day 2: Shape and Bake

6. Bring the Dough to Room Temperature

Remove the dough from the refrigerator 3–4 hours before baking.

Keep covered and allow it to warm and become visibly puffy and aerated.

7. Prepare the Pan

Lay down a large piece of parchment paper ( you don’t have to do this but it’s my insurance policy)

Pour 50–70 g olive oil into a 13 × 18-inch metal sheet pan.

Spread the oil across the bottom and sides of the pan.

8. Transfer and Stretch

Gently turn the dough into the center of the prepared pan.

Allow it to rest for 20–30 minutes.

Using oiled hands, gently stretch the dough toward the corners.

If the dough resists, allow it to rest for another 20 minutes before stretching again.

*Traditional Ligurian Focaccia bread calls for a salt water and olive oil emulsion. If you are trying that, now is the time to pour it over the top before the final rise.

9. Final Proof

Cover the pan and allow the dough to proof for 2–4 hours, until very puffy and jiggly with visible bubbles throughout.

10. Dimple the Dough

Drizzle the surface generously with olive oil.

Using oiled or wet fingertips, press straight down into the dough to create deep dimples.

Avoid dragging your fingers through the dough. Don’t over-do this or you’ll de-gas the dough and you don’t want that!

*If you are adding anything on top like cheese, tomatoes, onions, anything you want- this is the part that I would do it.

11. Bake

Preheat the oven to 475°F (245°C) for about 25 minutes.

Bake it on the highest rack in your oven. I know some

say to bake it lower, but I find this way produces a more

golden crust.

The center should reach approximately 208–210°F (98–99°C).

12. Cool

Immediately remove the focaccia from the pan and transfer to a wire rack.

Allow to cool for 20–30 minutes before slicing.

Same-Day Focaccia

For a same-day focaccia, increase the yeast to 7 g instant yeast and follow the same mixing and folding method.

1. Prepare the Dough

Follow the autolyse, yeast, salt and olive oil instructions above.

2. Build Dough Strength

Perform coil folds at:

• 30 minutes

• 60 minutes

• 90 minutes

• 120 minutes

3. Bulk Fermentation

Continue fermenting at approximately 74–76°F (23–24°C This may just be above what some consider a comfortable room temperature) until the dough has increased approximately 75% in volume and is visibly bubbly and aerated.

This will generally take 4–6 hours total from mixing. Don’t be concerned with over proofing.

4. Prepare the Pan

Cover the sheet pan with parchment paper.

Generously oil a 13 × 18-inch pan with 50–70 g olive oil.

Gently transfer the dough to the pan.

Allow it to rest for 20–30 minutes, then gradually stretch toward the corners.

5. Final Proof

Cover and allow the dough to proof for approximately 1½–3 hours, until very puffy and visibly bubbly.

6. Dimple and Bake

Dimple the dough with oiled or wet fingertips.

Add olive oil and the optional salt-water brine.

Bake at 475°F (245°C) following the same baking instructions as the 2-day version.

Recipe Notes

• Use a strong bread flour with approximately 13–14% protein.

• Keep the dough well covered during fermentation to prevent the surface from drying.

• Use a metal pan for the crispiest bottom crust. One option is to preheat your sheet pan in the oven and place the dough on top of it. Be careful because I find this very tricky with a wet dough.

• For the most pronounced open crumb, handle the dough gently throughout shaping and dimpling. Be careful not to de-gass it!

• The focaccia is properly proofed when it is exceptionally puffy, jiggly and filled with visible air bubbles.