This is a healthier version of 100% white Focaccia but equally delicious. It is still light and goes well with any meal, dips, salads, breakfasts and brunches. Switch the herbs and flavourings to suit your taste and availability.
Testers and Tasters Feedback
"I am not usually successful in bread making but this has worked out well. Tasted Great."
"This is my favourite bread, feels like a real treat."
"Loved the salty top with the rosemary."
Photo:
Louise Camden, Tester and Taster
Makes 2 medium sized loaves
Plants: 5-7
Preparation: 15-20 minutes
Cooking: 25-30 minutes
V NF Option DF
Swaps:
NF: Leave out the ground almonds
French Bread or Tipo Flour – use strong white bread flour.
Barley flakes use oats or leave out.
Herbs etc: swap for olives, basil, mixed herbs, tomatoes, any toppings you like can add flavour, colour etc to your loaf.
Freezing
This freezes well.
Ingredients:
250g Einkorn Flour or other wholemeal bread flour, stoneground if possible.
250g French bread flour or 00Tipo – this gives the bread light and airy texture.
75g Barley Flakes
100g Ground Almonds
10 tbls Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
3 tsp fresh Rosemary
2 cloves of garlic crushed
10g mixed seeds of your choice
15g dried yeast
10g table salt
1-2 tsp of sea salt for sprinkling on top
250ml tepid water
Method
Heat the oven to 200c
Mix the flours, table salt, garlic, barley flakes and almonds together.
Add the yeast and mix into the other dry ingredients. The reason you do this is that salt will limit the effectiveness of the yeast so mixing separately just keeps them apart.
Now add half the EVOO and water, mix together until all the water has been absorbed you want a soft mixture that is not crumbly but not too wet either. It needs to be easy to handle and knead.
Knead the mixture by hand or in your mixer for about 10 minutes. This stage is important to release the gluten from the flours.
Line your bowl or baking tin with parchment/greaseproof paper. Shape your loaf or loaves and place in a bowl or shallow baking tin to rise. Cover with a damp cloth.
After about another 60-90 minutes place the sprigs or single leaves of rosemary into the top of the bread, pour the remaining EVOO over the bread and let it soak around the sides and bottom of the bread. Sprinkle with the sea salt.
Leave to rise for another 60-90 minutes.
Bake in the oven at 200c for 15 minutes then reduce the heat to 180c and bake for a further 10-15 minutes until the bread is golden on top and cooked through.
Leave to cool for at least 30-40 minutes before cutting. Cutting bread when hot can cause the inside to appear moist.
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