Description
This decorated focaccia bread recipe transforms classic Italian focaccia into festive works of art with fresh herbs and vibrant vegetables. Perfect for holiday gatherings, you can create either a Christmas tree or flower design using fresh sage, rosemary, thyme, cranberries, green onions, shallots, chives, and black olives. The dough is simple to prepare, rises twice for a light texture, and bakes to a golden, crispy crust.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1/4 teaspoon honey
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons separated
For the Christmas Tree Bread
- 1 bunch fresh sage
- 1 bunch fresh rosemary
- A few sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/4 cup fresh cranberries, halved
- Pinch of salt and pepper
For the Flowers Bread
- 3 to 4 green onions
- A few chive sprigs
- 1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup sliced black olives
Instructions
- Activate the yeast: In a large bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and honey. Stir a few times and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes until it becomes frothy.
- Initial dough prep: Add 1 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of olive oil to the yeast mixture. Stir until the flour is moistened and let it sit for another 5 minutes to develop the dough.
- Knead the dough: Stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour and kosher salt. When the dough begins to come together, transfer it to a floured surface and knead 10 to 15 times until smooth and elastic.
- First rise: Place the dough in a large oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C).
- Prepare baking sheet: Oil a 9×13-inch (or larger) rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Shape and second rise: Transfer the dough to the baking sheet, pressing it into the pan no larger than 9×13 inches. Use your fingers to dimple the dough’s surface. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil on top, then let the dough rise for 20 minutes until slightly puffed.
- Decorate Christmas tree bread: Arrange sage, rosemary, and thyme into a Christmas tree shape on the dough. Add halved cranberries as ornaments and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Decorate flower bread: Place green onions to mimic stems, lay shallot slices as flowers, scatter chives to resemble small stems, and fill empty spaces with sliced black olives.
- Bake the bread: Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the focaccia is golden brown on top.
- Cool and serve: Remove the focaccia from the oven and cool it on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Notes
- The key to a light and fluffy focaccia is allowing the dough to rise twice: once in the bowl and once on the baking sheet.
- Use fresh herbs for the most vibrant flavor and visual appeal.
- You can customize the decorations with your favorite herbs or vegetables to fit other themes or occasions.
- Make sure the water is warm but not hot to properly activate the yeast without killing it.
- Pressing dimples into the dough helps trap the olive oil, enhancing the texture and flavor.
