Focaccia Bread with black garlic, cherry tomato and basil
This delightful focaccia bread is light, soft, fluffy and full of flavour! With a deep savoury umami-ness from the black garlic, paired with the burst of sweetness from the cherry tomatoes and a scattering of fresh basil it's incredibly hard to resist.
Equipment
- Stand mixer with hook attachment
- Large Bowl
- Tea towel
- Large baking tray (34cm x 23cm)
Ingredients
- 360 g strong/high-grade flour
- 16 g instant yeast
- 8 g salt
- 250 ml tepid water
- 20 g black garlic paste + extra to garnish
- 45 ml + 30ml olive oil
- 200 g cherry tomatoes halved
- sea salt flakes
- basil leaves
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, mix together flour, yeast and salt.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the water, followed by the black garlic and knead until well combined (3 minutes).
- Turn the mixer up to medium speed and knead for another 6 minutes. The dough should be soft and pull away from the sides of the bowl but may still be a little sticky.
- Return the mixer to a low speed and then stream in 45g oil, knead for 3 minutes before turning up the speed to medium. Mix until the oil has just been incorporated into the dough
- Transfer the dough to a well-oiled bowl, cover it with a damp towel and set aside in a warm place to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Bring the dough into a ball and place in a well-oiled baking tray. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- Flatten out the dough into the tray, cover with a damp towel and place in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.Then, 10 minutes before the dough is ready, preheat your oven to Fan Bake 200°C and place a small baking tray at the bottom of your oven to preheat.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, drizzle over 15g olive oil, rub to distribute evenly and then use your fingers to dimple the dough (press your fingers into the dough, touching the bottom of the pan, several times). Gently nestle the cherry tomato on top, followed by a generous sprinkling of sea salt and drizzle on the rest of the olive oil.
- Add 1/2 cup of water to the warmed baking tray in the oven, and then place your focaccia dough on the rack directly above it. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown and crispy.
- Rest in the tin for 10 minutes. Then turn out onto a cutting board and garnish with torn basil leaves, dollops of extra black garlic and extra olive oil if desired. Cut into desired pieces and serve!