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homemade garlic focaccia in a baking tray.
cookingwithmykids

Homemade garlic focaccia

This recipe for homemade garlic focaccia is soft on the inside, a little crispy on the outside but best of all so easy to make even children and beginner bakers can do it.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Proving time 2 hours
Servings: 8
Course: lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 245
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g strong white flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 sachet fast action yeast
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 300 ml lukewarm water
For the topping
  • Olive oil to drizzle
  • 2-3 garlic cloves

Equipment

  • Digital scales
  • Mixing bowl
  • Measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • 23 x 30cm baking tin

Method
 

  1. Measure out the flour and add it to a large mixing bowl or free-standing mixer.
  2. In separate corners, add the yeast, olive oil, and salt. Make sure you level the top with your finger so you get just the right amount.
Make the dough
  1. Measure out the water. The easiest way to do this accurately is when the ml setting of some digital scales if you have them.
    Pour the water into your bowl as you're mixing it. Keep mixing it until it all comes together in quite a sticky dough.
Knead the focaccia dough
  1. If you are using a free-standing mixer, make sure your dough hook is attached and let it run, kneading the dough for at least five minutes.
  2. To finish it off, tip it out onto a oiled work surface knead it for another few minutes.
  3. If you don't have a mixer, simply tip the dough out of your mixing bowl onto a lightly oiled surface. Knead the dough by stretching and pulling it with your hands for 5-10 minutes.
    The dough is very wet and sticky but it does get a little easier to handle the more you knead it. If you have one, you might find a dough scraper will save your hands from getting too messy and make kneading the dough a little easier.
Leave the dough to rise
  1. Pop the dough in an oiled bowl, and cover the bowl with cling film. Leave it in a warm place for about an hour or until it has doubled in size.
Make the focaccia
  1. Grease a 20x30cm (8x12 inch) baking tray with oil.
  2. Tip the focaccia dough out into your baking tray and flatten and push it into the sides and corners.
    Cover it again in oiled cling film and leave it for an hour to rise.
  3. Preheat your oven to 220C/200C Fan/ 425F
  4. Poke your fingers into the focaccia to give it its traditional dimples. Drizzle it with olive oil then crush some garlic and spread it over the top, pushing it down into the dough in places.
  5. Bake the garlic focaccia for 20 minutes. It's ready when it has turned a nice, golden brown colour and sounds hollow if you top on the bottom.

Notes

You also need to make sure the water is lukewarm – it should feel a nice temperature if you put your finger in it. If it's too cold the yeast won't be activated but if it is too hot it will kill the yeast.