* Exported from MasterCook *
Focaccia, Anise-Raisin
Recipe By :Peter Reinhart
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Bread Bread-Bakers Mailing List
Fruit Italian
Low Fat Posted
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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Basic Focaccia
5 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour -- (1 lb. 9 oz.)
2 1/2 cups cold water -- about 55F
2 Tbs. granulated sugar -- plus
1 tsp. granulated sugar -- (1 oz.)
2 tsp. table salt -- or 3 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, (1/2 oz.)
1/4 oz. instant yeast -- 2 1/4 tsp (also called
quick-rise, rapid-rise, or fast-rising yeast)
10 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt -- or kosher salt, for sprinkling
Topping
1 cup golden raisins
1 Tbs. aniseed
1/2 cup Sambuca -- Anisette, or other anise liqueur
1/2 cup water
2 Tbs. granulated sugar -- coarse, or turbinado sugar
The day before baking, mix the dough and let it spend the night in
the refrigerator. Combine the flour, water, sugar, salt, and yeast in
the large bowl of a stand mixer (use the paddle attachment, not the
dough hook). Slowly mix until the ingredients form a ball around the
paddle, about 30 seconds. Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium
low for another 3 minutes. Stop the machine to scrape the dough off
the hook; let the dough rest for 5 minutes and then mix on medium low
for another 3 minutes, until it's relatively smooth. At this point,
the dough will resemble melted mozzarella and be very sticky. If you
stretch a small piece, it will barely hold together.
Coat a bowl large enough to hold the dough when it doubles in size
with 1 Tbs. of the olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl and
rotate the dough to coat it with the oil.
Hold the bowl steady with one hand. Wet the other hand in water,
grasp the dough and stretch it to nearly twice its size.
Lay the stretched section back over the dough. Rotate the bowl a
quarter turn and repeat this stretch-and-fold technique. Do this two
more times so that you have rotated the bowl a full turn and
stretched and folded the dough four times. Drizzle 1 Tbs. of the
olive oil over the dough and flip it over. Wrap the bowl well with
plastic and refrigerate it overnight, or for at least 8 to 10 hours.
Remove the bowl of dough from the refrigerator and start shaping the
focaccia 3 hours before you intend to bake it (2 hours on a warm
day). The dough will have nearly doubled in size. Cover a 13x18"
rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat and coat
the surface with 2 Tbs. of the olive oil.
Gently slide a rubber spatula or a dough scraper under the dough and
guide it out of the bowl onto the center of the pan. The dough will
sink beneath its own weight, expelling some gas but retaining enough
to keep an airy gluten network that will grow into nice holes.
Drizzle 2 Tbs. of the olive oil on top of the dough. (Don't worry if
some rolls off onto the pan; it will all be absorbed eventually.)
Dimple the entire dough surface, working from the center to the
edges, pressing your fingertips straight down to create hollows in
the dough while gently pushing the dough down and out toward the
edges of the pan. At first you might only be able to spread the dough
to cover about one-half to three-quarters of the pan. Don't force the
dough when it begins to resist you. Set it aside to rest for 20
minutes. The oil will prevent a crust from forming.
After letting the dough rest, drizzle another 2 Tbs. olive oil over
the dough's surface and dimple again. This time, you will be able to
push the dough to fill or almost fill the entire pan. It should be
about 1/4 to 1/2" thick. If it doesn't stay in the corners, don't
worry; the dough will fill the corners as it rises.
Cover the dough loosely with oiled plastic wrap, put the pan on a
rack to let air circulate around it, and let the dough rise at room
temperature until it's about 1 1/2 times its original size and swells
to the rim of the pan. This will take 2 to 3 hours, depending on the
temperature of the room. Thirty minutes before baking, heat your oven to 475F.
Just before baking, gently remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle a few
pinches of sea salt or kosher salt over the dough. Put the pan in the
middle of the hot oven and reduce the heat to 450F. After 15 minutes,
rotate the pan to ensure even baking.
Check the dough after another 7 minutes. If it's done, it will be
golden brown on top and, if you lift a corner of the dough, the
underside will be golden as well. If not, return the pan to the oven
for another 1 to 2 minutes and check again.
Set a cooling rack over a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment (to
catch drippings). Use a metal spatula to release the dough from the
sides of the pan. Slide the spatula under one end of the focaccia and
jiggle it out of the pan onto the rack. If any oil remains in the
pan, pour it evenly over the focaccia's surface. Carefully remove the
parchment or silicone liner from beneath the focaccia. Let cool for
20 minutes before cutting and serving.
This classic sweet topping turns plain focaccia into a treat for
brunch, tea, or an afternoon snack. This version gets its kick from
anise liqueur.
After you've made the focaccia dough (a day before baking), put the
raisins and aniseed in a bowl with the liqueur and water. Cover with
plastic wrap and let sit overnight at room temperature.
The next day, when you shape the dough, drain the raisins and
aniseed, reserving any leftover liquid. When you drizzle the focaccia
dough with olive oil, sprinkle the the raisins and seeds onto the
dough. Dimple the dough as described in the basic recipe, taking care
to distribute the raisins and seeds evenly throughout the dough
during each successive dimpling. Try to press the raisins firmly into
the dough so that the dough will partially cover them as it rises.
Let the dough rise as directed in the basic recipe.
Just before the focaccia goes into the oven, sprinkle 1 Tbs. of the
sugar over the surface (in place of the salt sprinkle in the basic
recipe) and then bake as directed. Meanwhile, simmer the
raisin-soaking liquid in a saucepan over medium-low to medium heat
and reduce it to a syrup, 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately after removing
the focaccia from the oven, brush it with the syrup and sprinkle on
the remaining 1 Tbs.sugar. Let it cool on a rack for 20 minutes
before cutting and serving.
Tip: No mixer? Just mix it by hand. Combine the flour, water, sugar,
salt, and yeast in a large stainless-steel bowl; have a bowl of
lukewarm water standing by. With a large wet spoon or one hand, mix
the ingredients. Repeatedly dipping the spoon or your hand in the
water will help keep the dough from sticking. Rotate the bowl with
your free hand while stirring with the other until a wet, shaggy
dough forms, 2 to 3 minutes. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes and
then mix for another 2 minutes until the dough is relatively smooth
but quite sticky.
Cal 250, Fat 80g, Carb 36g, Sod 310mg, Fiber 1g, Pro 6g
Review: I love Peter Reinhart's recipes and this is a favourite. I
love it with a bit of rosemary and flaky salt. I've had very
consistent results and I've made it many, many times. So good with a
big pot of soup.
Review: This is the BEST focaccia recipe that I've tried, and
although it takes time because of the overnight time in the fridge,
it's well worth it. I added roasted garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and
fresh herbs to the top before baking.
Review: There will be no leftovers from this recipe. It is very easy
to make. The biggest part is you need to plan ahead for the 12 hour
refrigerated rise time. It really does boost the flavor. Follow the
directions.I like to sweat onions and add them to the top before
placing in the oven. Also 1/2 inch cubes of cheese are good. Sprinkle
with some coarse salt. Olives chopped up, rosemary, the sky's the limit.
Review: HANDS DOWN the best focaccia recipe I have EVER found! If you
have a Kitchen Aid mixer w/dough hook, this dough goes together so
easy! I've made this several times. The only thing I hated was having
to wait for the dough to develop overnight...I found that if I make
my dough early in the day and give it a 6 hour rest and rise in the
fridge, it comes out just fine for finishing it by evening. Since I
don't have the pan size required, I purchase disposable 11 1/2x7
1/2x1 1/2 deep aluminum pans(they sell them in a 2-pack), divide the
dough in half, follow the procedure of lining with parchment, and I
get 2 perfect sized loafs. Only problem I have is who I'm going to
give the other loaf to, as there are only 2 of us. The lucky
recipient of the second loaf always raves! Experiment with
toppings...the possibilities are endless! KEEPER, KEEPER, KEEPER!
S(Internet address):
https://www.finecooking.com/recipe/anise-raisin-focaccia
Yield:
"12 to 15"
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 426 Calories; 12g Fat (27.7%
calories from fat); 8g Protein; 65g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber;
0mg Cholesterol; 393mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean
Meat; 1/2 Fruit; 2 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.
NOTES : 2019 - 0106