Talk about focaccia with a twist! This recipe is inspired by King’s Hawaiian Ham and Swiss Sliders, except – make it focaccia.

The focaccia gives this recipe an even more savory flavor compared to Hawaiian rolls. Hawaiian rolls are enriched with butter, eggs, milk, and sugar, which creates a sweet, rich, creamy, tender roll. Focaccia is simple: flour, water, salt, sourdough starter. Focaccia is just bread – not sweet, rich, tender bread. Because I haven’t used enriched bread, there isn’t actually any hint of sweet in this dish. The butter sauce soaks into the dough as it bakes and packs everything with flavor. Meanwhile, the ham and Swiss create the meal by adding protein, which make this focaccia more filling.

What Is Focaccia?

Focaccia is a type of Italian bread known for its dimpled surface, which helps infuse olive oil and seasonings throughout the bread. It is similar to pizza dough, but typically thicker and softer. Focaccia can be enjoyed plain or with various toppings such as olives, tomatoes, onions, or cheese (or, in this case, ham and Swiss). It’s a versatile bread that can be served as an appetizer, snack, or alongside a meal.

What I Love About This Recipe

When you pack carbs with protein, it’s nearly a meal-in-one. This low-fuss dinner creates balance between making a meal from scratch and time spent in the kitchen. With focaccia, it is nearly impossible to go wrong. This focaccia recipe is second only to my bacon focaccia.

All The “Why’s”

Flour Choice

Here’s the thing about artisan bread: most of the gluten is developed through time during the slow fermentation process. You see, as dough rests, gluten comes together naturally and fermentation provides strength. A strong flour contains more gluten binding proteins, which naturally create a stronger network that traps air and helps the loaf ferment more efficiently.

Recently, I’ve been working with Hayden Flour Mills Artisan Bread Flour over my usual King Arthur Bread Flour. It is fresh and contains more of the bran and germ from the wheat kernel than other flours, which adds incredible flavor to my bread. I’ve been eager to experiment with and dive into a world of better-for-you and better-tasting sourdough baked goods, and this has been a wonderful start.

After several wins and fails, I’ve finally discovered how to make this flour fit my typical sourdough bread-making routine. Because it is much fresher than what you can buy on grocery store shelves, it has (what is called) increased enzymatic activity. Enzymes, namely amylase, transform complex sugars into simple sugars that feed yeast. This happens in grocery-store white bread, but at a much slower rate than with fresh flour. Because Hayden Flour Mills Artisan Bread Flour contains more enzymatic activity, yeast are consuming sugars and multiplying at a much faster rate, increasing the speed of fermentation. To compensate for the faster fermentation, I reduce the amount of stater I use in my recipe by 5% (of the total weight of the flour). In addition, due to the increased percentage of bran and germ, the flour itself can absorb more water, which means I can increase the amount of water I use by 5% as well.

Salt

Salt helps bring out flavor (without salt, bread would taste almost like nothing), but also has notable effects on the dough. Salt is a tightening agent, meaning it helps create a more elastic (strong) dough. It does slow fermentation, as well as gluten development, but these are things we must account for in the recipe because we cannot have a recipe without salt. It is important to use just the right amount, enough to bring out the flavor, but not so much that the loaf cannot ferment or come together. I use the standard – 2% salt – in all my recipes, unless otherwise noted.

Hydration

This recipe has an approximate hydration of 86%, if you’re using Hayden Flour Mills Artisan Bread Flour. This is a high hydration recipe, meaning we are working with a fairly wet dough. While loose doughs can sometimes be harder to manage, this is not so with focaccia (at least in my opinion) because we do not have to worry about handling the dough for anything difficult, only to provide some structure through folds. The high hydration adds to the extensibility of the dough, opening the crumb if handled appropriately, and helps create a soft, light texture in the baked bread.

Dough and Gluten Development

Because this dough is unenriched (no fat, sugar, etc.) and because our sourdough starter works slowly, gluten develops naturally over time. This means we can let fermentation do most of the strengthening of our bread, aerating it and building structure, while we take time to fold the dough, which helps fermentation do its best work.

Folding the dough has many benefits, and time you fold it in relation to its stage in fermentation can also change the outcome of your bread completely. More folds up front (sometimes, I also pair this with increased mixing time) creates a more elastic bread, which just means the end result will be taller, sometimes with a more closed crumb. Less folds, or folds that are more spaced out, can mean a flatter bread, but with a more “wild” and open crumb.

For this recipe, I aim for four folds, spaced a minimum of thirty minutes apart. The key is to make sure the dough relaxes completely between each set. This way, the folds are more efficient at structuring the dough.

Bulk Fermentation

It is important to note that fermentation varies significantly depending on temperature and climate. My home generally rests around 68-72 F (20-22 C), so my fermentation times are very extended from someone whose home rests around 75 F (24 C), or even warmer. Always watch the dough and read your baked loaf as best as possible to be able to determine necessary adjustments for your next attempt. The goal is to ferment the dough as long as possible, but not to overproof. The longer the dough ferments, the lighter and airier your bread will be.

If you choose to cold proof your dough, as I do in this recipe, the temperature of your bulk fermentation is very important. A warm dough will continue to rise significantly in the fridge, while a cooler dough will not. I keep this dough around 70 F, and bulk ferment it until it reaches a 50% size increase after folds are complete. If you live in a climate like mine, or even cooler, this method will work fine. But, if your environment is warmer, be sure to watch the dough and consider decreasing the percentage rise as needed for your environment.

Generally, loaves that ferment around 70 F (21 C; this is the temperature I ferment my dough) take about 6 hours to bulk ferment. Colder climates, say 65 F (18 C) take much longer, a minimum of 8 hours. Increase the temperature to 73-75 F (23-24 C), and the bulk fermentation time is reduced to around 4-5 hours. Last, very warm temperatures, 78-80 F (25-27 C) generally take only 2 hours to complete fermentation. All in all, your dough is in your hands, and in your climate.

Note the decreased fermentation period for bulk fermentation. I only ferment this dough to 50% size increase so that I can have a longer final proof. I like to let the dough rest in the pan, untouched, for a good amount of time before baking.

Shaping

Focaccia is beautiful in that it requires no shaping efforts. Simply dump the dough into the desired baking dish, lightly stretching if necessary. 

Cold Proof

I stick this dough in the refrigerator, overnight, after shaping. Though placing the dough in the fridge isn’t necessary, I find it creates a deeper flavor (your starter’s bacteria at work!) and adds flexibility to the baking timeline.

Room Temperature Dough

It is better not to bake the dough from cold. Instead, let it continue to rest and puff up on the counter before dimpling and baking. A room temperature dough is essential to obtaining the proper oven spring. The combination of room temperature dough + a very hot oven will create an exploding effect that will help the bread expand and create a beautiful open and even crumb.

Because of the shortened bulk fermentation, we can watch the dough in the baking dish to tell when it is ready. I generally proof this dough on the counter for 6-8 hours (at 70 F, 21 C) after removing it from the refrigerator before dimpling and baking.

Butter Sauce

In place of olive oil, I’ve used the classic butter sauce from the original King’s Hawaiian Ham and Swiss Slider recipe. This sauce is made of melted butter, dijon mustard, onion powder, poppy seeds, and Worcestershire sauce. The butter, for its nonstick properties is most important; everything else is for flavor. I spread this flavorful sauce all over the bottom of the pan (not the sides!) and all over the focaccia dough before I leave it for the final rise. (Spreading it on the sides may result in burning in the oven). Do not be shy! The sauce absorbs right into the focaccia dough as it bakes. Lots of sauce = lots of flavor. Use it all!

Toppings

This recipe is meant to be like a ham and Swiss slider; therefore, I’ve chosen ham and Swiss as the topping. Simple, yet all you need.

Ham

The key is to enough ham to make a meal out of the dish (or don’t, it’s completely up to you), but not so much ham that it is overpowering or that it weighs down the focaccia in the oven. I use one boneless ham steak, which weighs between .75 to .9 pounds. 

Swiss

While (in my opinion) Swiss cheese is the perfect compliment to the flavors in this dish, you can use any cheese you like. After the focaccia has baked for thirty minutes (it should be cooked through and nicely browned), the cheese can be added and the focaccia baked again until the cheese is melted to your preference. Adding the cheese in the beginning will result in a very dark, maybe even burnt, cheese and crunchy texture.

Baking Method: Temperature

The best oven spring and crumb comes from baking the dough hot and fast. Though I would prefer to bake my focaccia at 500 F (260 C), I find it burns those delicate air bubbles before the rest of the loaf is baked. Therefore, I chose a temperature of 450 F (230 C) to give the dough the best “pop” in the oven, while also reducing burnt air bubbles, yet still producing a lightly crisp end result.

Suggested Timelines

Suggested Timeline

All-In-One-Day Timeline

Other Variations To Try

Quick Tip: Read the recipe in its entirety before you start cooking. This will help you understand the ingredients, steps, and timing involved, and allow you to prepare any necessary equipment or ingredients beforehand.

To be honest, this whole combination was a complete accident. One afternoon, I was planning to make a spinach and artichoke focaccia, except I did not have the ingredients. Thinking I was going to be able to go to the store before my focaccia dough was ready, I started a dough and then, well, did not make it to the store. Now I had dough, but what to do with it?

Having just finished building a recipe for loaded bialy, I was still obsessing about the flavor combination. But a focaccia isn’t a bialy, so how do I make it work? 

The 35 lb tub of bacon grease my husband brought home from work the other day rolled its eyes at this question and barked, “Use me!” from across the room. “Of course!” I thought. Let’s replace the olive oil with bacon grease. And that is where this recipe began.

Since then, I made this recipe several more times to make sure everything was on point. My father-in-law sent me a text in reply to a sample my husband sent him, saying “If you decide to make the bacon focaccia bread again, let me know. I will buy the whole loaf.” This bread has never lasted more than thirty minutes after coming out of the oven.

What Is Focaccia?

Focaccia is a type of Italian bread known for its dimpled surface, which helps infuse olive oil (or, in this case: bacon grease) and seasonings throughout the bread. It is similar to pizza dough, but typically thicker and softer. Focaccia can be enjoyed plain or with various toppings such as olives, tomatoes, onions, or cheese (or, for this recipe: bacon, ranch seasoning, and cheddar cheese). It’s a versatile bread that can be served as an appetizer, snack, or alongside a meal.

What I Love About This Recipe

This recipe is packed with protein and animal fat, as well as so much flavor. This low-fuss dinner creates balance between making a meal from scratch and time spent in the kitchen. With focaccia, it is nearly impossible to go wrong. This is absolutely my favorite focaccia recipe yet.

All The “Why’s”

Flour Choice

Here’s the thing about artisan bread: most of the gluten is developed through time during the slow fermentation process. You see, as dough rests, gluten comes together naturally and fermentation provides strength. A strong flour contains more gluten binding proteins, which naturally create a stronger network that traps air and helps the loaf ferment more efficiently.

Recently, I’ve been working with Hayden Flour Mills Artisan Bread Flour over my usual King Arthur Bread Flour. It is fresh and contains more of the bran and germ from the wheat kernel than other flours, which adds incredible flavor to my bread. I’ve been eager to experiment with and dive into a world of better-for-you and better-tasting sourdough baked goods, and this has been a wonderful start.

After several wins and fails, I’ve finally discovered how to make this flour fit my typical sourdough bread-making routine. Because it is much fresher than what you can buy on grocery store shelves, it has (what is called) increased enzymatic activity. Enzymes, namely amylase, transform complex sugars into simple sugars that feed yeast. This happens in grocery-store white bread, but at a much slower rate than with fresh flour. Because Hayden Flour Mills Artisan Bread Flour contains more enzymatic activity, yeast are consuming sugars and multiplying at a much faster rate, increasing the speed of fermentation. To compensate for the faster fermentation, I reduce the amount of stater I use in my recipe by 5% (of the total weight of the flour). In addition, due to the increased percentage of bran and germ, the flour itself can absorb more water, which means I can increase the amount of water I use by 5% as well.

Salt

Salt helps bring out flavor (without salt, bread would taste almost like nothing), but also has notable effects on the dough. Salt is a tightening agent, meaning it helps create a more elastic (strong) dough. It does slow fermentation, as well as gluten development, but these are things we must account for in the recipe because we cannot have a recipe without salt. It is important to use just the right amount, enough to bring out the flavor, but not so much that the loaf cannot ferment or come together. I use the standard – 2% salt – in all my recipes, unless otherwise noted.

Hydration

This recipe has an approximate hydration of 86%, if you’re using Hayden Flour Mills Artisan Bread Flour. This is a high hydration recipe, meaning we are working with a fairly wet dough. While loose doughs can sometimes be harder to manage, this is not so with focaccia (at least in my opinion) because we do not have to worry about handling the dough for anything difficult, only to provide some structure through folds. The high hydration adds to the extensibility of the dough, opening the crumb if handled appropriately, and helps create a soft, light texture in the baked bread.

Dough and Gluten Development

Because this dough is unenriched (no fat, sugar, etc.) and because our sourdough starter works slowly, gluten develops naturally over time. This means we can let fermentation do most of the strengthening of our bread, aerating it and building structure, while we take time to fold the dough, which helps fermentation do its best work.

Folding the dough has many benefits, and time you fold it in relation to its stage in fermentation can also change the outcome of your bread completely. More folds up front (sometimes, I also pair this with increased mixing time) creates a more elastic bread, which just means the end result will be taller, sometimes with a more closed crumb. Less folds, or folds that are more spaced out, can mean a flatter bread, but with a more “wild” and open crumb.

For this recipe, I aim for four folds, spaced a minimum of thirty minutes apart. The key is to make sure the dough relaxes completely between each set. This way, the folds are more efficient at structuring the dough.

Bulk Fermentation

It is important to note that fermentation varies significantly depending on temperature and climate. My home generally rests around 68-72 F (20-22 C), so my fermentation times are very extended from someone whose home rests around 75 F (24 C), or even warmer. Always watch the dough and read your baked loaf as best as possible to be able to determine necessary adjustments for your next attempt. The goal is to ferment the dough as long as possible, but not to overproof. The longer the dough ferments, the lighter and airier your bread will be.

If you choose to cold proof your dough, as I do in this recipe, the temperature of your bulk fermentation is very important. A warm dough will continue to rise significantly in the fridge, while a cooler dough will not. I keep this dough around 70 F, and bulk ferment it until it reaches a 50% size increase after folds are complete. If you live in a climate like mine, or even cooler, this method will work fine. But, if your environment is warmer, be sure to watch the dough and consider decreasing the percentage rise as needed for your environment.

Generally, loaves that ferment around 70 F (21 C; this is the temperature I ferment my dough) take about 6 hours to bulk ferment. Colder climates, say 65 F (18 C) take much longer, a minimum of 8 hours. Increase the temperature to 73-75 F (23-24 C), and the bulk fermentation time is reduced to around 4-5 hours. Last, very warm temperatures, 78-80 F (25-27 C) generally take only 2 hours to complete fermentation. All in all, your dough is in your hands, and in your climate.

Note the decreased fermentation period for bulk fermentation. I only ferment this dough to 50% size increase so that I can have a longer final proof. I like to let the dough rest in the pan, untouched, for a good amount of time before baking.

Shaping

Focaccia is beautiful in that it requires no shaping efforts. Simply dump the dough into the desired baking dish, lightly stretching if necessary. 

Cold Proof

I stick this dough in the refrigerator, overnight, after shaping. Though placing the dough in the fridge isn’t necessary, I find it creates a deeper flavor (your starter’s bacteria at work!) and adds flexibility to the baking timeline.

Room Temperature Dough

It is better not to bake the dough from cold. Instead, let it continue to rest and puff up on the counter before dimpling and baking. A room temperature dough is essential to obtaining the proper oven spring. The combination of room temperature dough + a very hot oven will create an exploding effect that will help the bread expand and create a beautiful open and even crumb.

Because of the shortened bulk fermentation, we can watch the dough in the baking dish to tell when it is ready. I generally proof this dough on the counter for 6-8 hours (at 70 F, 21 C) after removing it from the refrigerator before dimpling and baking.

Bacon Grease

Bacon is a Southern obsession, and many cooks in my part of the world save their bacon grease for cooking purposes. Using bacon grease in this recipe not only enhances the flavor by 10,000%, it also paves the way for another use for bacon grease: baking.

In this recipe, I replace olive oil with a whole bunch of bacon grease. Bacon grease both coats the pan and gets dimpled into the focaccia. During the baking and cooling process, the focaccia absorbs all of that grease, creating a stunningly enhanced bacon flavor.

Toppings

This recipe is inspired by loaded bialy, which was inspired by bacon-ranch loaded fries. Bacon, ranch, and cheddar are what make up this to-die-for flavor profile.

Bacon

I love to pack the top of my focaccia with bacon. It’s okay if the bacon is fresh and a little greasy. The grease will absorb into the dough, enhancing the flavor. You want enough bacon to get a bit in every bite, but not so much that it completely weighs down the focaccia (howbeit, I find that hard to do). Though I like to cook my bacon crispy, make it however you like. Just make sure the pieces are small enough to be dimpled into the dough.

Ranch

This is included for flavor! You can use pre-bought powdered ranch seasoning or your own homemade ranch seasoning. It just needs to be in dried, powdered form. I’ve found you don’t need to be shy on the ranch seasoning with this recipe (as is the case with some other recipes), as the focaccia is so thick that a small sprinkle of seasoning will go unnoticed.

Sour Cream

Now this is the interesting one, but it really does make the whole bread. For this recipe, I pipe sour cream into the bread. You read that right. I poke holes all over the bread and fill them up with sour cream. Doing this creates a contrast in texture and balances the richness from the bacon. I think this is the final touch for me, the thing that keeps me scarfing down this focaccia. Do this at the end of baking, right before you top it with cheddar cheese.

Cheddar Cheese

I find that cheddar cheese pairs well with the flavors here; however, you can use any cheese you like. The key is to add the cheese at the end of baking, making sure it gets nice and melty, but not overdone.

Baking Method: Temperature

The best oven spring and crumb comes from baking the dough hot and fast. Though I would prefer to bake my focaccia at 500 F (260 C), I find it burns those delicate air bubbles before the rest of the loaf is baked. Therefore, I chose a temperature of 450 F (230 C) to give the dough the best “pop” in the oven, while also reducing burnt air bubbles, yet still producing a lightly crisp end result.

Suggested Timelines

Suggested Timeline

All-In-One-Day Timeline

Other Variations To Try

Quick Tip: Read the recipe in its entirety before you start cooking. This will help you understand the ingredients, steps, and timing involved, and allow you to prepare any necessary equipment or ingredients beforehand.

I made this to be the ultimate beginner loaf of bread. It is simple, yet still yields a great bread that is naturally leavened with sourdough starter. This one is for those who need some relief from the complexities of sourdough, and are looking for something they can win. If this is you, you’re in the right place.

What Is Batter Bread?

I have found “batter bread” can mean something different to every person. For the purposes of this recipe, batter bread is a type of bread made of simple ingredients through a simple, no-knead process. A batter is mixed, left to rise, and then baked. Extensive kneading or folds are not required because gluten development is not prioritized for the crumb and texture of the final baked product. The end result is a moist and rustic loaf of bread, great for sandwiches or eating on its own!

What I Love About This Recipe

This bread is much easier to make than traditional sourdough. It requires three steps: mix, ferment, bake. This recipe results in a loaf that is incredibly moist and slightly sour (depending on the state of your starter), which means if you are someone looking for a true sourdough flavor in their bread, this will provide it for you! Best of all, this recipe is fail-safe. It’s the perfect recipe for testing out a new starter, to see if it is ready for more advanced projects. Beginner and experienced sourdough bakers alike will enjoy this loaf!

All The “Why’s”

A Butter-Laiden Loaf

I cover my pan and the top of my loaf with butter. The butter not only makes my pan incredibly non-stick, but it adds a rich, decadent flavor to the bread.

Bread Flour

The purpose of this recipe is to be incredibly simple, yet still yield a delicious end result. For the best results possible, choose a bread flour with a protein content of at least 12%. The higher protein content in the flour will help the gluten come together better, which is important in this recipe because we do not take measures to develop the dough at all. The naturally-developing gluten from the high-quality flour will help prevent the loaf from collapsing before it fully doubles in size. I use King Arthur Bread Flour (protein content 12.7%) in this recipe.

Salt

Salt helps bring out flavor (without salt, bread would taste almost like nothing), but also has notable effects on the dough. Salt does slow fermentation, as well as gluten development, but this is something we must account for in the recipe because we cannot have a recipe without salt. It is important to use just the right amount, enough to bring out the flavor, but not so much that the loaf cannot ferment or come together. I use the standard – 2% salt – in all my recipes, unless otherwise noted.

Honey

The small amount of honey acts as food for the yeast in your starter, speeding up fermentation slightly, which I think can be helpful in a beginner recipe like this one. It does not sweeten the loaf, and can be eliminated if desired.

Starter To Flour Ratio

This recipe includes a large percentage of starter – 50% of the total flour in the recipe! (For comparison, a normal sourdough bread recipe includes only 20% starter.) The large amount of starter means your bread will ferment faster than other recipes, so it is not necessary to ferment the dough for near as long as you normally would. This percentage of starter can also contribute to a slightly sour flavor in this bread, depending on your sourdough starter care and maintenance routine.

Hydration

This recipe has a moderately high hydration, resting at approximately 87%. This amount of water in this recipe is a good amount – not too high, but not too low – for helping gluten come together with ease. It also contributes to the final light and moist texture of the baked bread.

Mixing Time

Since we do not take the time to develop structure through folds, mixing is an important step that will help the dough rise to its fullest potential. While not essential, a longer mix means more elasticity, which means the dough can more readily hold in air bubbles and rise to double in size without worry of collapsing. After all of the flour is incorporated into the batter, try to mix the dough for a solid three to five minutes for best results. This small consideration, in addition to the right flour, will develop the dough just enough for success.

Fermentation

This dough is easy to ferment. Simply watch the dough until it reaches the top of the container, which should be exactly double in size. There are no folds and there is no refrigeration step, which means it is even easier than ever to tell when this bread is ready to bake.

It is important to note that fermentation times vary significantly depending on temperature and climate. My home generally rests around 68-72 F (20-22 C), so my fermentation times are very extended from someone whose home rests around 75 F (24 C), or even warmer.

Here are some general guidelines to help you with approximate timing for this recipe:

Generally, loaves that ferment around 70 F (21 C; this is the temperature I ferment my dough) take about 6 hours to bulk ferment. Colder climates, say 65 F (18 C) take much longer, a minimum of 8 hours, and sometimes more. Increase the temperature to 73-75 F (23-24 C), and the bulk fermentation time is reduced to around 4 hours. Last, very warm temperatures, 78-80 F (25-27 C) generally take only 2-3 hours to complete fermentation.

(Lack Of) Dough Development

Due to the lack of dough development (folds, kneading), the dough is weaker. It will not hold in large air bubbles, will not have the ability to hold its own shape, and will not have an oven spring. In fact, you will notice bubbles popping through the surface (air escaping) due to the weak dough. This bread takes the shape of the pan it is placed in and rises to the top, but cannot hold any more fermentation than this since strength is not present to keep the loaf from collapsing. This is why the proper sized pan is essential, as the batter (before fermenting) should fill the pan exactly halfway.

Baking Method

This loaf can simply be baked in an open oven without steam or any special equipment, such as a Dutch oven. The loaf itself contains a fairly high percentage of water, which keeps it moist enough to rise appropriately, though it does not have a large oven spring due to the lack of development.

Suggested Timeline

Quick Tip: Read the recipe in its entirety before you start cooking. This will help you understand the ingredients, steps, and timing involved, and allow you to prepare any necessary equipment or ingredients beforehand.

Crust that shatters like glass, with an airy, open interior. That’s what this is: glass bread. This bread is similar to ciabatta, but with a completely different origin. Isn’t it interesting how two places can come up with a near-similar style of bread?

I want to preface this recipe with a disclaimer: I feel that I can do better. It has been over a year since I originally published this recipe, and I have grown a lot as a baker since then. I have had so many compliments on how simple this recipe is, and how even novice bakers can get fabulous results from it. Yet, I still feel I haven’t done this bread its proper duty. My hope is that I can revisit this recipe in the future and give it the modifications it deserves.

What Is Pan De Cristal?

Pan de Cristal, also known as “Glass Bread” is a type of bread made from a very wet dough that is baked at a high temperature. This creates its signature features: open crumb, soft and chewy interior, thin and firm crust that shatters like glass (literally, you do not want to drop these when removing from the oven). It is excellent for soups or just for topping with olive oil and tomatoes. I love to lightly toast this bread and use it to make the best open-faced sandwiches.

What I Love About This Recipe

This recipe is simple yet advanced, all at the same time. Just four ingredients come together to create this crusty, chewy bread. Because of this dough’s incredibly high hydration (105%), it is essential to develop the dough using coil folds, which makes dough handling options limited, but also very hands-on: a process I find extremely satisfying. The final crumb reveal is the most exciting part of making this recipe – the pressure! That’s when you know if you really made it.

All The “Why’s”

Strong Bread Flour

Here’s the thing about artisan bread: most of the gluten is developed through time during the slow fermentation process. You see, as dough rests, gluten comes together naturally and fermentation provides strength. Bread flour contains more gluten binding proteins, which naturally create a stronger network that traps air and helps the loaf ferment more efficiently.

Bread flour is an incredibly important element to achieving success in this recipe. Without a strong bread flour, the dough will not come together through the folding process. It will remain very wet, and will break and fall apart easily. You see, because this recipe is so highly hydrated (contains a lot of water), gluten will have a more difficult time forming, especially if the flour is not capable of absorbing all the water. For best results, use a bread flour with a protein percentage above 12%. The stronger the better. I use King Arthur Bread Flour in most recipes that calls for “bread flour” because of its higher protein content (12.7%) and excellent ability to form gluten.

If you absolutely cannot access a good quality bread flour, it is possible to still make this recipe by reducing the amount of water to match what your flour can handle and adding a couple of tablespoons of vital wheat gluten to the dough. While these two things will make this recipe possible for you, they will not lend quite the same results.

Salt

Salt helps bring out flavor (without salt, bread would taste almost like nothing), but also has notable effects on the dough. Salt is a tightening agent, meaning it helps create a more elastic (strong) dough. It does slow fermentation, as well as gluten development, but these are things we must account for in the recipe because we cannot have a recipe without salt. It is important to use just the right amount, enough to bring out the flavor, but not so much that the loaf cannot ferment or come together. I use the standard – 2% salt – in all my recipes, unless otherwise noted.

Hydration

This recipe has a very high hydration of approximately 105%. This is a lot of water, which contributes to the final texture and openness of the bread. More water means more extensibility, which helps this dough to open up more in the oven if handled correctly (too many folds can counter the extensibility from the extra water, creating elasticity, which can close the crumb). Very high hydration doughs, like this one, tend to be harder to handle, but with this recipe I do my best to keep things as simple as possible, using time and coil folds to structure the dough.

Dough and Gluten Development

Because this dough is unenriched (no fat, sugar, etc.) and because our sourdough starter works slowly, gluten develops naturally over time. As long as the flour you use in this recipe can handle the amount of water we are adding to is, gluten will come together by the second fold. In this recipe, folds help structure the gluten, as well as the fermenting dough. We need to stretch the dough to help the dough gain form, and not just remain a sloppy mess.

Folding the dough has many benefits, and time you fold it in relation to its stage in fermentation can also change the outcome of your bread completely. More folds up front (sometimes, I also pair this with increased mixing time) creates a more elastic loaf, which just means the end result will be taller with a more defined shape. Less folds, or folds that are more spaced out, can mean a flatter loaf, but with a more “wild” and open crumb. We want to find the perfect balance for the best result.

For this recipe, I aim for four folds, spaced about fourty-five minutes apart. This balance seems to be perfect paired with fermentation at room temperature (70 F; 21 C). You could do them even farther apart at this temperature, but since we are not doing an autolyse, it is better to do a few sets closer together in the beginning to get gluten development going.

I have had several ask me about doing this recipe at a higher temperature (75-80 F; 24-26 C). For this, you must consider a couple of important factors. First, this recipe does not include an autolyse, nor does it use a stand mixer to develop gluten. That means gluten must develop through time while fermentation is also present. The longer the dough ferments without gluten, the more air that is lost and the more closed the crumb. Since dough ferments faster at warmer temperatures, if gluten does not come together quickly, much air will be lost. Second, you will want to do your folds closer together at warmer temperatures. The point you fold your dough in relation to its stage of fermentation makes a difference! Since the dough will be fermenting quicker, folding the dough in shorter intervals is helpful.

Bulk Fermentation

It is important to note that fermentation varies significantly depending on temperature and climate. My home generally rests around 68-72 F (20-22 C), so my fermentation times are very extended from someone whose home rests around 75 F (24 C), or even warmer. Always watch the dough and read your baked loaf as best as possible to be able to determine necessary adjustments for your next attempt. The goal is to ferment the dough as long as possible, but not to overproof. The longer the dough ferments, the lighter and airier your bread will be.

If you choose to cold ferment your dough, as I do in this recipe, the temperature of your bulk fermentation is very important. A warm dough will continue to rise significantly in the fridge, while a cooler dough will not. I keep this dough around 70 F, and bulk ferment it until it reaches double in size after folds are complete. If you live in a climate like mine, or even cooler, this method will work fine. But, if your environment is warmer, you will need to consider decreasing the percentage of rise you give the dough before you shape it. I can give you some guidelines, but ultimately you will need to experiment and find your own way for your own environment.

Generally, loaves that ferment around 70 F (21 C; this is the temperature I ferment my dough) take about 12 hours to bulk ferment. Colder climates, say 65 F (18 C) take a very long time, a minimum of 16 hours, and sometimes longer. Increase the temperature to 73-75 F (23-24 C), and the bulk fermentation time is reduced to around 9 hours. Last, very warm temperatures, 78-80 F (25-27 C) generally take only 4 hours to complete fermentation. All in all, your dough is in your hands, and in your climate.

Cold Bulk Fermentation

The refrigeration step of this recipe is optional, but it does several things to help the dough. First, as with refrigeration in any recipe, it sets the flavors, creating more complex flavors, and then eventually sour flavor. This is because cool temperatures slow yeast, but bacteria (which produce complex/sour flavor) continue to multiply. If you do not prefer any hint of sour in your bread, do not cold ferment your dough, or be sure to keep the cold fermentation short (under twelve hours).

Aside from flavor development, the reason I love refrigeration is that it extends the baking timeline, allowing me to bake my bread whenever I am ready. This means more flexibility – no baking of the dough too late in the evening and waiting for it to cool before going to bed.

Last, for this dough specifically, I find that it creates a more even crumb. A warm, room temperature dough popped into a hot oven will spring up like pita bread, and, at this hydration, you may end up with a huge hole on the top of the bread. Usually, I find my dough gets a better crumb when baked from warm, but for this dough I’d rather bake from cold.

Shaping

This dough is so easy to shape – just cut it into sections and separate them. It really isn’t even a shape at all, just a division of dough.

Scoring

This bread does not get a score. The dough is so wet, and it expands just fine on its own. You can always skip the score on any bread, as its only purpose is to control where the bread expands. Otherwise, the bread will crack wherever it desires.

Baking Method: Temperature

I played around with a lot of temperatures when baking this bread, and finally settled on a combination of two. 475 F, combined with the addition of steam, helps promote the best oven spring. It’s hot, but not too hot, so the dough rises well. You can watch these loaves literally pop up in the oven in the first ten minutes of baking! After that, 425 F for the remainder of the time perfectly cooks the loaves through without over-browning.

Baking Method: Steam

Steam is crucial to the first few minutes of baking these loaves. Steam delays the formation of crust, allowing the Pan de Cristal to expand to its full potential before the outside forms.

Because I have a gas oven, it is hard to open bake. I find smaller loaves are better than bigger ones when I have to use this method. Recently, I purchased a Challenger Bread Pan and, though it does not fit all the loaves at once, it does help with steam retention. Still, cutting these smaller and open baking with a light spray of water on top and boiling water below my stone seems to work great as well.

In reality, you can open bake this bread using any method of steaming that works best for your oven. Boiling water, lava rocks, etc. all work great. The main goal: make sure your bread has the ability to expand to its maximum potential before the crust begins to harden.

Suggested Timelines

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Work Day Timeline

Quick Tip: Read the recipe in its entirety before you start cooking. This will help you understand the ingredients, steps, and timing involved, and allow you to prepare any necessary equipment or ingredients beforehand.

This is probably the most versatile bread on the planet. Over-proofed dough? Focaccia. Pizza? Focaccia. Sandwiches? Focaccia. Everyone is obsessed with focaccia, and rightly so.

To me, focaccia is best when it is made right. Perfectly fermented, doused in copious amounts of olive oil, with simple toppings: sea salt, fresh rosemary, tomatoes, and maybe olives if you like them. The bread soaks up the oil from the pan, making it soft and full of flavor. It’s incredibly tasty on its own, but so delightful as a sandwich bread as well.

What Is Focaccia?

Focaccia is a type of Italian bread known for its dimpled surface, which helps infuse olive oil and seasonings throughout the bread. It is similar to pizza dough, but typically thicker and softer. Focaccia can be enjoyed plain or with various toppings such as olives, tomatoes, onions, or cheese. It’s a versatile bread that can be served as an appetizer, snack, or alongside a meal.

What I Love About This Recipe

With focaccia comes ease and versatility. This bread is light, bubbly, and full of flavor (thank you olive oil and toppings!). It can be used as a base for pizza, or cut open and used to make the most flavorful sandwiches. With focaccia, it is nearly impossible to go wrong.

All The “Why’s”

Bread Flour

Here’s the thing about artisan bread: most of the gluten is developed through time during the slow fermentation process. You see, as dough rests, gluten comes together naturally and fermentation provides strength. Bread flour contains more gluten binding proteins, which naturally create a stronger network that traps air and helps the loaf ferment more efficiently. I use King Arthur Bread Flour in most recipes that calls for “bread flour” because of its higher protein content (12.7%) and excellent ability to form gluten.

Salt

Salt helps bring out flavor (without salt, bread would taste almost like nothing), but also has notable effects on the dough. Salt is a tightening agent, meaning it helps create a more elastic (strong) dough. It does slow fermentation, as well as gluten development, but these are things we must account for in the recipe because we cannot have a recipe without salt. It is important to use just the right amount, enough to bring out the flavor, but not so much that the loaf cannot ferment or come together. I use the standard – 2% salt – in all my recipes, unless otherwise noted.

Hydration

This recipe has an approximate hydration of 82%. This is a high hydration recipe, meaning we are working with a fairly wet dough. While loose doughs can sometimes be harder to manage, this is not so with focaccia (at least in my opinion) because we do not have to worry about handling the dough for anything difficult, only to provide some structure through folds. The high hydration adds to the extensibility of the dough, opening the crumb if handled appropriately, and helps create a soft, light texture in the baked bread.

Dough and Gluten Development

Because this dough is unenriched (no fat, sugar, etc.) and because our sourdough starter works slowly, gluten develops naturally over time. This means we can let fermentation do most of the strengthening of our bread, aerating it and building structure, while we take time to fold the dough, which helps fermentation do its best work.

Folding the dough has many benefits, and time you fold it in relation to its stage in fermentation can also change the outcome of your bread completely. More folds up front (sometimes, I also pair this with increased mixing time) creates a more elastic bread, which just means the end result will be taller, sometimes with a more closed crumb. Less folds, or folds that are more spaced out, can mean a flatter bread, but with a more “wild” and open crumb.

For this recipe, I aim for four folds, spaced a minimum of thirty minutes apart. The key is to make sure the dough relaxes completely between each set. This way, the folds are more efficient at structuring the dough.

Bulk Fermentation

It is important to note that fermentation varies significantly depending on temperature and climate. My home generally rests around 68-72 F (20-22 C), so my fermentation times are very extended from someone whose home rests around 75 F (24 C), or even warmer. Always watch the dough and read your baked loaf as best as possible to be able to determine necessary adjustments for your next attempt. The goal is to ferment the dough as long as possible, but not to overproof. The longer the dough ferments, the lighter and airier your bread will be.

If you choose to cold proof your dough, as I do in this recipe, the temperature of your bulk fermentation is very important. A warm dough will continue to rise significantly in the fridge, while a cooler dough will not. I keep this dough around 70 F, and bulk ferment it until it reaches a 50% size increase after folds are complete. If you live in a climate like mine, or even cooler, this method will work fine. But, if your environment is warmer, be sure to watch the dough and consider decreasing the percentage rise as needed for your environment.

Generally, loaves that ferment around 70 F (21 C; this is the temperature I ferment my dough) take about 6 hours to bulk ferment. Colder climates, say 65 F (18 C) take much longer, a minimum of 8 hours. Increase the temperature to 73-75 F (23-24 C), and the bulk fermentation time is reduced to around 4-5 hours. Last, very warm temperatures, 78-80 F (25-27 C) generally take only 2 hours to complete fermentation. All in all, your dough is in your hands, and in your climate.

Note the decreased fermentation period for bulk fermentation. I only ferment this dough to 50% size increase so that I can have a longer final proof. I like to let the dough rest in the pan, untouched, for a good amount of time before baking.

Shaping

Focaccia is beautiful in that it requires no shaping efforts. Simply dump the dough into the desired baking dish, lightly stretching if necessary. 

Cold Proof

I stick this dough in the refrigerator, overnight, after shaping. Though placing the dough in the fridge isn’t necessary, I find it creates a deeper flavor (your starter’s bacteria at work!) and adds flexibility to the baking timeline.

Room Temperature Dough

It is better not to bake the dough from cold. Instead, let it continue to rest and puff up on the counter before dimpling and baking. A room temperature dough is essential to obtaining the proper oven spring. The combination of room temperature dough + a very hot oven will create an exploding effect that will help the bread expand and create a beautiful open and even crumb.

Because of the shortened bulk fermentation, we can watch the dough in the baking dish to tell when it is ready. I generally proof this dough on the counter for 6-8 hours (at 70 F, 21 C) after removing it from the refrigerator before dimpling and baking.

Olive Oil

A high quality, flavorful olive oil all over the bottom and top of the focaccia makes a world of a difference. The focaccia bread absorbs all the oil after baking, boosting flavor and moisture, as well as creating a beautiful color on the top and bottom of the bread.

Toppings

Focaccia is incredibly versatile in that it can be topped to your heart’s desire. Get creative or keep it simple. Either way, you’ll come out with a delicious treat.

It is important to keep in mind some of the effects of what you are topping the dough with. For example, marinara sauce will soak into the dough and in large portions will keep your bread from baking correctly. Most cheeses will burn and should be added at the end of baking.

Coating fruits, vegetables, and fresh herbs in olive oil can help keep them from burning. I like to coat my tomatoes and fresh rosemary in olive oil for best results.

Baking Method: Temperature

The best oven spring and crumb comes from baking the dough hot and fast. Though I would prefer to bake my focaccia at 500 F (260 C), I find it burns those delicate air bubbles before the rest of the loaf is baked. Therefore, I chose a temperature of 450 F (230 C) to give the dough the best “pop” in the oven, while also reducing burnt air bubbles, yet still producing a lightly crisp end result.

Suggested Timelines

Suggested Timeline

All-In-One-Day Timeline

Quick Tip: Read the recipe in its entirety before you start cooking. This will help you understand the ingredients, steps, and timing involved, and allow you to prepare any necessary equipment or ingredients beforehand.