I have been so intimidated by baking bread. It just seems hard, right?! Well, whenever I am afraid to try a new recipe, I always go to my sister-in-law, Sheila. She has this secret Betty Crocker side that is A-MAZ-ING. After watching Sheila bake both focaccia and this basic bread recipe, I finally had the courage to try myself.

Focaccia Bread with Flair (Loosely adapted recipe from Smitten Kitchen)

This is also known as focaccia bread art or a focaccia garden.

Ingredients

1 tsp instant yeast*
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups lukewarm water
4 tbsp olive oil
Flakey salt for sprinkling

*See additional instructions for active dry yeast

Flair:

1 tbsp finely chopped, fresh rosemary
Cherry tomatoes
Green onion

You can use any veggie or spice that you have lying around. Sliced onions, bell peppers or olives are all great options.

Preheat oven to 425ºF.

Step 1:

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt and instant yeast.

Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix until the water is absorbed to form a loose, sticky dough. Keep mixing until the larger lumps are blended in.

“Proofing” Active Dry Yeast

If you are using active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, fill a separate bowl with 2 cups of lukewarm water and sprinkle yeast on the surface with a pinch of sugar. Let sit for 10 minutes, until foamy. Add this to the flour mixture in step 1.

Step 2:

Cover the bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot. Allow dough to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until it has doubled in size. You can also use your oven by setting the temperature to 100º F.

Step 3:

Pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil onto a baking sheet or rimmed pan.

Step 4:
Using two forks, deflate the dough by releasing it from the sides of the bowl and pulling it towards the center. Use the forks to turn the mass of dough onto the oiled baking sheet. Flip the dough over to completely coat both sides with olive oil.

Step 5:
Let the dough rest for 20 minutes without touching it.

Step 6:
Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil onto the dough. Lightly flatten the dough using your fingertips. This bread will not rise very much when baking. The thinner you press the dough, the crispier your focaccia will be.

Step 7:
Add your pieces of flair! For a more traditional focaccia, sprinkle the minced rosemary and flakey salt on top.

step 8: Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Basic Bit*h Bread

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups lukewarm water
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 package)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature)
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
1 tbsp melted butter (for brushing onto the baked bread)
8x4 loaf pan

Preheat oven to 390ºF.

Step 1:

In a small bowl, add lukewarm water and sprinkle yeast onto the surface. Let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.

Step 2:

With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Slowly add the yeast/water mixture until fully incorporated.

(If you have a Kitchen Aid stand mixer, combine these ingredients into the bowl with the dough hook attachment and skip to step 4).

Step 3:

Dump the dough mixture onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. There should be no visible lumps.

Step 4:

Place the ball of dough into a lightly greased bowl (I used non-stick cooking spray) and cover with a tea towel. Let the dough rise for 45 minutes.

Step 5:

On a floured surface, knead the ball of dough and shape into a rectangular loaf by pinching the seams. Place the dough into a non-stick (or greased) loaf pan with the seams facing down.