The perfect Home-made Focaccia Bread

Focaccia Bread

Hii..
Bread Baking is extremely addictive, especially if you start getting successful results. After baking the White Loaf successfully a couple of times I was dying to try my hands at something different when I suddenly got reminded of the 'Focaccia Bread' and obviously I jumped at the thought!!
After some RnD on the net I found a a couple of recipes which were easy (yes I always look for easy) and doable so I combined a couple of them. The major part of the recipe was adopted from the 'Herbivore Cucina' with some minor modifications from my end.
Before we start, few of you might be wondering what is Focaccia Bread.Well it is an Italian flat bread with toppings and it is an extremely soft and melt in the mouth kind of a bread. It goes extremely well with some soup. I made some Tomato Basil Soup to go with it.

Few Important Points

I. Proofing the active dry yeast is THE most important thing while baking a bread, you surely need to proof the yeast .

II. While proofing the yeast the water should be just the correct temperature. If its too hot then the yeast will die n if its not warm enough then the yeast will remain inactive. I test by putting a drop of water on the back of my wrist. It should feel warm. (Technically the water should be around 45 degree Celsius or around 110 degree Fahrenheit, if you have a food/kitchen Thermometer you can measure it).

III. After proofing the yeast should rise and foam up (not just bubbles but like a creamy foam)..if it does not then THROW and start afresh.

IV. If you are using INSTANT yeast then I guess it doesn't require proofing but I have never really tried that so can't comment . I have always used Active Dry and proofed it first.

V. The bread dough needs to be kept in a warm place. But never keep it under the sun because the temperatures might go up unexpectedly and the yeast might die due to the heat.

FOCACCIA BREAD (Italian Flat Bread)

Makes: A 11" Dia x 1" height Round Loaf

Ingredients
 
For the Bread
All Purpose Flour/Maida - 3 cups (Around 450gms)
Active Dry Yeast - 2 and 1/2 teaspoonful
Warm Milk - 3 tablespoons
Warm Water - 1 and 1/2 cups
Refined Oil - 3 tablespoons
Butter (at room temperature) - 1 teaspoonful
Sugar - 2 teaspoonful
Salt - 1 teaspoon

For the Toppings
Onions - sliced
Green Capsicum - 1/2 sliced
Red Capsicum - 1/2 sliced
Tomato - 1/2 sliced
Coriander/Cilantro Leaves - 2 teaspoonful (optional)
Black Olives sliced ( I didn't use since I and N are not fond of Olives)
Red Chilli Flakes - 1 teaspoonful
Italian Seasoning’s/ Dried Herbs (Oregano,Basil,Thyme) - 1.5 teaspoonful

Procedure

1. Take a Big bowl and add 1 cup warm water and 1 teaspoon Sugar .Mix Well
2. Add the Yeast and Mix, now Sprinkle 1 more teaspoon of sugar.
3. Cover and keep for 10-12 mins, it should Foam (if it doesn't then throw and start again)

Proofing of the Yeast

4. Add the Oil, Salt, another 1/2 cup of warm water, Milk, Butter in the foamed up Yeast

Dough Preparation

5. Mix in the flour (in batches) in the bowl and keep mixing till it looks like a dough.

6. Take out dough on the counter and knead for 7-8 mins (Not more than that)

Dough ready for 1st Rise

7. Place dough in greased bowl, cover (with food wrap or damp towel cloth and keep in a warm and humid place.
Now since it is winters and its difficult to find a warm and humid place so I do the following. I use a microwave-convection oven so I Heat little water in the microwave (micro mode) and take out the container. Now I place the dough container in the switched off microwave.After 30 mins Take the dough container out and reheat water and place the dough container again.

8. Dough should double in volume in 1 hour or so (more than the time the volume is important)

After 1st Rise ..........................................Toppings

9. Punch Down the dough and knead for another 3-4 minutes

10. Grease your baking dish and flatten the dough and place it on the dish. Cover and keep for second rise for another 45 minutes.

After 2nd Rise

11. Once the flattened dough has risen, uncover the dish and make dimples softly with your finger tips on the top surface

12. Sprinkle the Chilli Flakes and the Italian Seasoning on top.

Adding the toppings

13. Now top it with the slices vegetables (softly press the vegetables)

14. Preheat Oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

15. Once Preheated change the temperature to 180 Degrees Celsius and Bake for 25 minutes.

16. Cool for 10 minutes then slice and serve with some warm soup.

Slice Up and Enjoy with some Soup

Thanks for taking out time to read.

A slice of Fresh White Bread

White Bread Loaf

Hii..
Baking is something which has always intrigued me..Being from a Science background (in fact Physics to be specific Oh Gosh!!), baking always gives me that exciting feeling which we used to have during our lab experiments. Sometimes even when I am extremely tired, the mere idea of baking fills me up with energy.. Well I had tried my hand at Cakes, Muffins, Cheesecakes so it was high time I tried baking a simple White Bread Loaf.. Yes something so basic yet so wonderful. After browsing through quite a few recipes I settled for this one. (no specific reason just an intuitive feeling that this should be good). And Boy it did turn out to be delicious.. One thing is for sure.Once you start baking breads at home, you won't feel buying one from the market!!

Before jumping to the Recipe which is actually very simple I would like to point out a couple of things which needs to be kept in mind while baking Breads!

Few Important Points

I. Proofing the active dry yeast is THE most important thing while baking a bread, you surely need to proof the yeast .

II. While proofing the yeast the water should be just the correct temperature. If its too hot then the yeast will die n if its not warm enough then the yeast will remain inactive. I test by putting a drop of water on the back of my wrist. It should feel warm. (Technically the water should be around 45 degree Celsius or around 110 degree Fahrenheit, if you have a food/kitchen Thermometer you can measure it).

III. After proofing the yeast should rise and foam up (not just bubbles but like a creamy foam)..if it does not then THROW and start afresh.

IV. If you are using INSTANT yeast then I guess it doesn't require proofing but I have never really tried that so can't comment . I have always used Active Dry and proofed it first.

V. The bread dough needs to be kept in a warm place. But never keep it under the sun because the temperatures might go up unexpectedly and the yeast might die due to the heat.

WHITE BREAD LOAF
Makes: One 9X5 Loaf

Ingredients

Active Dry Yeast

Active Dry Yeast - 2 and 2/3rd teaspoons
Water- 1 and half cups - Warm
Butter- 30gms (at room temperature-it should be soft)
Sugar- 3 teaspoons
Salt - to taste
All Purpose Flour / Maida (If you can mange to get hold of bread flour use that)  - 450gms (if using bread flour use 500gms)


Procedure for the bread
1. Take a Big bowl and add 1 cup warm water and 2 teaspoons sugar .Mix Well
2. Add the Yeast and Mix, now Sprinkle 1 more teaspoon of sugar.
3. Cover and keep for 10-12 mins, it should Foam (if it doesn't then throw and stat again)

Proofing

4. Add Butter, Another 1/2 cup warm water, Salt and Mix Well

Mixing the FLour

5. Mix in the flour (in batches) in the bowl and keep mixing till it looks like a dough.

6. Take out dough on the counter and knead for 7-8 mins (Not more than that)

Placing the dough for the 1st Rise

7. Place dough in greased bowl, cover (with food wrap or damp towel cloth and keep in a warm and humid place.
Now since it is winters and its difficult to find a warm and humid place so I do the following. I use a microwave-convection oven so I Heat little water in the microwave (micro mode) and take out the container. Now I place the dough container in the switched off microwave.After 30 minsTake the dough container out and reheat water and place the dough container again.

8. Dough should double in volume in 1 hour or so (more than the time the volume is important)

Cover and Rise

9.. Punch Down the dough and place in greased Loaf tin

Punching DOugh and Placing in Loaf Tin

10. Cover with damp cloth and let it rise (double up) in the microwave(switched off) for 40-45mins

Placing for 2nd Rise

13. Now take out the loaf tin and preheat oven (on convection mode) at 220 C (with some water in the baking dish) over the wire rack.

14. Once pre-heated replace the baking dish with the loaf tin on the wire rack.

15. Bake at 190 C for 30mins

Loaf ready and plced for cooling

16. Once done Cool the bread on a wire rack and then slice using a serrated knife.

Slice up

You can enjoy a fresh slice with some butter or jam. It is soft as a pillow.
NOTE: Best to consume it on Day 1 cause its ultra soft, but if consider having it the next day then you can toast/grill the slices!