Every spring, when it's time to put the next one Recipe of the yearthe employee-owners of King Arthur prepare for long discussions and fierce but friendly debates. We will reject the merits of chocolate chip cookies against coffee cakes against cinnamon rollsgathering opinions from across the company on the most worthy mature product.
But this year, the discussion was surprisingly short. We gathered around focaccia—early and fervently—because, for many reasons, it's not at all pointless: it's easy to make, it's even easier to eat, and it's EVERYWHERE. (I recently ate focaccia at four different establishments over 36 hours in New York City.)
Now, we have many existing focaccia recipes, but we wanted one that checked every box: ready in an afternoon; small enough to eat in a day; ultra aromatic; and nice and thick with a bronze, bubbly exterior. So we took everything we've learned about focaccia over the years and developed our dream version, using Martin Philip's recipe at The Big Book of Bread as our starting point.
We spent several months adjusting the salt and oil levels, the type of flour, the size of the pan, the amount of water, the amount of yeast, the oven temperature, the baking time – you name it, we tested it. In the end, ours Big and bubbly focaccia was born
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Visually stunning, aromatic yet versatile and easy enough for anyone to make, this recipe is The One. And how do I know? Because even after baking and tasting dozens and dozens of focaccia during development, I STILL you want to get in the kitchen and bake (and eat) this exact iteration. Yes, there are tons of focaccia recipes out there, and more every day, but I finally feel at ease: This is my forever focaccia, and I hope it can be yours too. Here's what makes Big and Bubbly Focaccia so special.
1) Amazing in taste without an overnight rise
Many focaccia recipes take at least 24 hours. Fortunately, this is not one of them. This bread is ready in less than four hours, which means you can decide to make it well after lunch and still have it on the table for dinner.
We provided the exact amount of salt and olive oil to ensure that the bread is super tasty even without a long fermentation. During our development, the final flavor fixer was the addition of 1 teaspoon of sugar. That little bit of sugar doesn't add sweetness; instead, it improves AND balances the savory notes for a more rounded taste.
2) Folding > kneading
Because this dough is proofed relatively quickly, there is not enough time for the gluten to develop passive strength. In other words, this focaccia can't be fast AND no kneading – manual agitation is necessary. But instead of cooking, you'll perform a set of four bowl folds to help develop gluten during the first part of growth. This largely hands-free approach is a great way to tackle a wet, sticky dough, even as a beginner. The folds of the bowl contribute enough structure so that the dough can bubble when dipped and rise in the oven, yet they are soft enough that the finished bread is soft and light after baking. Which brings me to my next point…
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
3) Impressively tall AND too soft
It can be difficult to nail down a dough that is strong enough to rise in the oven, but not so strong that the crumb is tough and chewy. But thanks to us Unbleached all purpose flourwhich has 11.7% protein, this focaccia is statuesque (look at that height!) with a light, airy interior (look at that crumb!) that's squishy, rather than chewy and puffy. When I tested the recipe with other brands of flour (I won't name names), I could tell even during the folding process that the dough wasn't as stretchy. Not surprisingly, those focaccias didn't measure up in the oven: One wasn't chewy at all (more like cake than bread), while the other had a less airy interior.
4) Just the right size
For all of focaccia's incredible qualities, it has one major flaw: it's not amazing the next day. In an effort to avoid unwanted leftovers (or publish a recipe you can only bake for a crowd), we skipped the typical half-sheet pan and opted for a 9″ square instead. The resulting focaccia is small enough that four to six people can easily clear it on the first day. And, at about two inches tall, it's perfect for slicing in half for sandwiches, but not so long that you can't tear off pieces and eat them as they are, with no garnish needed.
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
5) Wonderfully crunchy
I've spent a lot of time talking about the soft interior, but isn't the golden-almost-fried exterior just as important?
This focaccia has a crisp crust (that stays that way!) because of a trick we borrowed from crusty breads like baguettes: After the baking is finished, it is returned to the turned off oven, where it takes on more color and dries a little. If it sounds complicated to get a puffed noodle out of a hot pan, we've got you covered: The pan is lined with a strip of parchment with hanging slots, so it's easy to lift the loaf and slide it right onto the rack of the oven. The heat from the rack kisses the bottom of the bread, while the sides are exposed directly to the hot air.
For the most dramatic exterior, ours Amazing Focaccia Bread it is, as the name suggests, unparalleled; it is made of black anodized aluminum, and the darker pan gives a darker crust. (You can still get crisp results in other metal pans—even aluminum pans available from the supermarket. Just please, don't use glass.) The finishing touch of texture is a generous sprinkling of flaky sea salt. Cyprus Flaked Salt it consists of giant pyramids – similar, visible from space – that make the whole loaf shine, which is exactly what it deserves.
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
I have baked, tasted and developed many focaccia recipes and I can safely say that this is my favorite. But enough about me: It's your turn to find out! Cook our newest recipe of the year, Big and bubbly focaccia. Share it with us on Facebook and Instagram using #RecipeOfTheYear, and please leave a comment and let us know what you think.
Cover photo by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne.
