impress your guests this summer with strawberry focaccia! thick fluffy homemade bread, with thinly sliced and roasted strawberries, and a balsamic maple glaze on top. crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
Focaccia is my absolute favorite bread. I cannot resist it. So fluffy and chewy, crispy, and golden nothing compares. Even better it is so easy to make at home!! This strawberry focaccia is the perfect summer variation. Slightly sweet but perfect to share with guests for a dinner party or summer gathering. It looks absolutely stunning and everyone will be so impressed.
Focaccia Making
While focaccia isn’t hard to make it does require some rising time. It has a double rise which is what will allow it to get that super fluffy and beautiful inside. Focaccia is very easy to knead by hand or you can use a stand mixer. Also, focaccia and olive oil love each other so make sure you are ready to use a decent amount of olive oil. You can make your focaccia thicker or thinner by using a large baking pan but I prefer it to be super thick!
Olive Oil Choice
Typically, I would want say to use extra virgin olive oil for focaccia. Like in this sea salt focaccia recipe. However, because this is a slightly sweeter non traditional focaccia I prefer to use light olive oil. Personally, I didn’t want the focaccia to be overpowered with an EVOO flavor I really wanted the strawberries to shine through. If you prefer EVOO you of course can use it just make sure you use high quality oil.
Bread Flour VS All Purpose Flour
To make our strawberry focaccia I recommend using bread flour. You can use all purpose flour as well. However, bread flour has a higher protein content with of course naturally lends itself better to making bread. It results in chewier, fluffier bread. I tested the recipe with both and both ways come out great but I do love using the bread flour if you have it on hand. It is also great for making cakes! I have not tested this recipe using gluten free flour, but my friend Britt has a great recipe for GF and vegan focaccia.
Proofing Tips
Before I started blogging I was actually really scared to make bread. I thought it was hard to make. Now don’t get me wrong making stunning loaves of perfect bread is a bit of an art but things like this are totally in your wheelhouse, I pinky promise. The part that scared me was proofing dough. I felt like mine never proofed right but here are some tips to help you.
- Make sure your yeast is alive. Of course an easy way to ensure this is to use non-expired yeast. If your yeast is 1 to 2 months old (even up to 3) I would say it is safe. You can always test your yeast as well. If you need to learn how to do that check out this article.
- Water temperature is important. Yeast needs certain temperatures to work. If you use active dry yeast you need to make sure your water (or any liquid you use) is the proper temperature for the yeast to bloom. I prefer instant yeast I don’t need to be as particular about water temperature i just usually use warm water from my sink.
- Proofing temperature is important. My favorite place to proof is in an turned off oven with the light on. It yields the best results in my house. Everyones home is different. Different times of year, like winter vs summer, can also affect the time you need to proof. So, don’t go based just on time but also on size.
- You don’t necessarily need a long proof in the fridge… I know there are plenty of recipes that will tell you to proof in the fridge and do a lot of overnight cold proofing. While this will create a bubbly, air filled dough you don’t need to do that to create delicious focaccia.
More Bread Recipes
Strawberry Focaccia FAQ
- Why strawberries? Well, to be honest why not?! I wanted to put out some strawberry centric recipes and this just seemed like such a fun idea. Spoiler alert: I wasn’t wrong!
- Can anyone make focaccia? Yes! I promise this is the easiest bread to make. It is hard to mess up and rather fool proof. Just make sure your yeast isn’t expired.
- Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast? Of course. I prefer instant yeast because it just requires one less thing to wait around for and works just as perfectly as active dry yeast. However, if you are a new baker and you want to make sure your yeast is alive, active dry yeast will show you that through the initial foaming process. Instant yeast you just add directly into the dough and you will see it is alive through the proofing process.
- Can I replace the strawberries with something else? Of course. The focaccia dough itself can be used for any type of focaccia – olive, rosemary, sea salt, the possibilities are endless.
- How long will this last? It is best fresh. You can enjoy it up to 3 days after if stored on the counter in a container. Up to 5 days if stored in fridge in a container. You can also freeze it. I would toast in oven or microwave before enjoying.
- What can I enjoy this with? It would be lovely with a large summer salad, an olive and vegan cheese platter or even served on the side of tofu and veggies.
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Strawberry Focaccia
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 ½ cups (420g) bread flour
- 3 ½ tablespoons (54) ml olive oil, divided
- 1 package instant yeast (2 ¼ tsp [7g])
- 1 tablespoon organic sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240ml) warm water
Topping
- 1 tablespoon (15g) balsamic glaze
- 2 teaspoons (10g) maple syrup
- 6 ounces (175g) strawberries, thinly sliced
- Basil for garnish
- Coarse sea salt for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl add the bread flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix with a spoon to get everything well incorporated. Then slowly add in 2 tablespoons (30ml) of oil and water, continue to mix until all liquid is add. Once the dough is shaggy begin to knead with your hands for about 3 to 5 minutes until a smooth ball is formed. Cover with a teaspoon (3ml) of oil and place in a large bowl to proof. Cover with a dish towel and place in a warm place in your kitchen. I like my turned off oven with the light on.
- After an hour of proofing the dough should be doubled in size, if not, let it rise a little longer. Cover a 9×9 (for very thick) or 9×11 or 9×13 baking dish with some of the remaining oil. Coat it generously and along the sides as well about a tablespoon (15ml). Transfer the dough into the pan and press it to spread it out slightly. Cover with a bit more oil, about a teaspoon or so. Place a dish towel over top and proof again for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, prepare the balsamic maple glaze by mixing together balsamic glaze, maple syrup, and a teaspoon of water. Mix until combined should still be thick but able to drip off a spoon. Set aside.
- Once the focaccia is fully proofed preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Use your knuckles to make dimples in the focaccia. Brush the focaccia with any remaining oil, make sure to brush the sides as well to prevent any sticking to the pan. Then brush with the balsamic maple glaze, you don’t need to use it all it is nice to save some for dipping. Then add the sliced strawberries scattered around.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Then drop temperature to 300°F (148°C) and bake for 5 mins. The top should be golden and crusty.
- Allow the focaccia to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Then remove carefully from the pan.
- Garnish with basil and a little sea salt if desired. Cut into as many pieces as you like and enjoy.
Video
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INGENIOUS. Focaccia, balsamic glaze and strawberries, 3 of my favorite things ever! I cannot wait to make this. You killed this one girl!
thank you so much Mel!! i really appreciate it so much xoxo