That is the most effective sourdough focaccia that I’ve baked. Over time the few instances I’ve baked focaccia, a majority of the time I’ve both had an excessive amount of or too little dough. Looking back, I feel I’d been underfermenting as effectively. For my 9×13” pan I made 750 g of dough and allowed it to ferment till it had a complete rise of 170% which is excess of I’ve previously. With out having sliced it to see on the crumb, that is the most effective wanting focaccia out of my oven with good massive bubbles and I feel the correct thickness. I’m glad I’ve this newish USA Pans pan, you hardly want any olive oil within the pan to forestall sticking so there isn’t that danger of shallow frying the dough which I’ve carried out previously. I’ll have to attend till tomorrow to slice it since this was baked for a cocktail party for buddies.
Levain construct in a single day
Combine starter, water after which flour and ferment at room temperature 74°F the night time earlier than.
Technique
Combine
To the bowl of your stand mixer add water and salt, combine to mix.
Add the levain and break into small items. Add the flour and blend till the gluten is effectively developed. (maintain again the olive oil till later in mixing).
Subsequent, flip the mixer on to a low velocity and slowly drizzle the olive oil into the bowl whereas mixing till the olive oil is effectively absorbed.
Switch your dough to a bulk fermentation container and canopy. Ideally, use an oblong pan for bulk.
Bulk Fermentation
Permit the dough to rise, you could do a couple of coil folds if the dough wasn’t very robust after kneading. In any other case enable to rise till about 25-40%
Proof
Utilizing oiled arms switch the dough to a 9×13” pan or two 9” rounds which have been frivolously greased with olive oil. If you happen to don’t have a pan with a silicone liner, be certain that to reasonably oil the pan’s inside so the focaccia doesn’t stick throughout baking. Don’t go too heavy with the olive oil in any other case you could find yourself shallow frying the dough. Gently stretch the dough to fill the pan. if the dough contracts enable the dough to relaxation 10-15 minutes and repeat
The dough will naturally unfold out throughout this proofing interval, so it’s pointless to unfold the dough aggressively. As soon as the dough is usually unfold to the sides, cowl the pan and proof till the dough has had a complete rise of 170%. It needs to be very bubbly on the time of baking.
About half-hour earlier than you anticipate the sourdough focaccia dough being prepared, preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C) with a rack positioned within the backside third. Goal to bake when the dough has reached 170% rise.
High & Bake
First, dimple the unadorned dough with moist fingers. Make sure that the dimples are evenly spaced and go all the way in which all the way down to the underside of the pan. Go over the dough twice. Then, drizzle on 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with herbs and coarse sea salt. If utilizing different toppings, add them now as effectively, press them into the dough gently.
Bake the focaccia within the oven at 450°F (232°C) till deeply coloured on prime, about half-hour. Rotate the pan front-to-back midway by this time. Control it over the last 5-10 minutes and pull it out if it’s coloring too rapidly, or go away it in longer in the event you’d prefer it slightly darker.
Let the focaccia cool a couple of minutes within the pan, then switch to a cooling rack. It’s improbable heat from the oven, and greatest on the day of baking, nevertheless it’ll maintain effectively for a pair days loosely wrapped in foil (reheat below the broiler earlier than serving).
