Strawberry focaccia

For a focaccia with a difference, and a bowl of strawberries to use up, you can’t go past this deliciously not-too-sweet focaccia-style bread. It’s been crying out to be made since I first saw it on Anjana’s blog, so here it is.

When would you serve it? I think it makes the prefect breakfast bread, or a great morning tea with coffee (or tea). It’s like having ready-made bread with jam.

Strawberry foccacia

• Servings: 1 loaf
• Time: half a day
• Difficulty: moderate
• Print

Ingredients

• for the sponge: 1 tablespoon of dry yeast, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 cup of warm water
• for the dough: 2¾ cups of baking flour, a pinch of salt, 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 10 to 12 decent sized strawberries, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• icing sugar for dusting when you serve it

Directions

1. Prepare the sponge: Stir the sugar and water together in a small bowl. Make sure the water is only comfortably warm, then sprinkle the yeast across it. Don’t stir it in. Let this sit in a warm place for about 10 minutes, until the yeast has dissolved, then activated, and the mixture has foamed up.
2. Prepare the dough: Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Tip in the sponge and olive oil, then mix until it forms a soft dough.
3. Knead the dough: Just as it says. Tip the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it until the dough is soft and elastic.
4. First rising: Put the dough into a clean, oiled bowl. Cover it with a damp cloth and sit it in a warm place to rise until it’s doubled in size. This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on your house.
5. Prepare the strawberries: It’s called masticating them. Cut them into halves, or quarters if they’re big, and toss them with the 3 tablespoons of sugar. This softens the strawberries and releases a lovely sugary, strawberry syrup.
6. Second rising: Put the dough back onto a well-floured surface, punch it down, then knead it lightly to bring it to a shape that roughly matches your baking tin. Oil the tin and dust it with flour, then press the dough into it. Set it aside in that warm spot in your house to rise again.
7. Top with strawberries: Gently sit the strawberries into the top of the shaped dough. Drizzle any juice over the top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and the last teaspoon of sugar.
8. Baking: Bake at 220ºC (450F) for about 20 minutes, or until the bread is baked through. It will have a lovely golden crust on top.
9. Eating: Take it out of the oven, dust with icing sugar and serve warm if you can.

Notes

Source: At the Corner of Happy and Harried and her Strawberry Focaccia Bread {With Cinnamon Sugar}

Strawberry foccacia

And yes, it’s a late contribution for the Fiesta Friday party, co-hosted by Ginger & Bread and Safari Of The Mind. Sorry for being so later everyone: sometimes we just have to work for a living!