• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Veggie Ideas
  • Quiches, tarts and pastries
  • Pulses
  • Nuts
  • Vegetables
  • Desserts
  • Cakes and snacks
  • Preserves and compotes
  • Condiments and seasonings
  • Biscuits
  • Chocolate
  • Pasta and pasta sauces
  • Rice and quinoa
  • Bread
  • Cheese
  • Eggs
  • Recipe collections
  • Drinks
  • Soups and stews
  • Vegan
  • Privacy Policy
  • Modern Sidebar
  • Disclaimer
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Statement
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Quiches, tarts and pastries
  • Pulses
  • Nuts
  • Vegetables
  • Desserts
  • Cakes and snacks
  • Preserves and compotes
  • Condiments and seasonings
  • Biscuits
  • Chocolate
  • Pasta and pasta sauces
  • Rice and quinoa
  • Bread
  • Cheese
  • Eggs
  • Recipe collections
  • Drinks
  • Soups and stews
  • Vegan
  • Privacy Policy
  • Modern Sidebar
  • Disclaimer
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Statement
search icon
Homepage link
  • Quiches, tarts and pastries
  • Pulses
  • Nuts
  • Vegetables
  • Desserts
  • Cakes and snacks
  • Preserves and compotes
  • Condiments and seasonings
  • Biscuits
  • Chocolate
  • Pasta and pasta sauces
  • Rice and quinoa
  • Bread
  • Cheese
  • Eggs
  • Recipe collections
  • Drinks
  • Soups and stews
  • Vegan
  • Privacy Policy
  • Modern Sidebar
  • Disclaimer
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Statement
×
Home » Bread

Focaccia art

12/04/2025 by Judith Leave a Comment

Focaccia art is homemade focaccia with edible toppings such as tomatoes, olives and herbs arranged to form a focaccia garden or other design. The bread dough is prepared in the same way as rosemary focaccia with the toppings being added to the focaccia dough before baking.

This easy focaccia recipe is perfect for when you are feeling creative. You don't need to stick to flowers. You could make a Christmas focaccia perhaps using sprigs of rosemary to form a Christmas tree, design an Easter focaccia, Halloween focaccia or focaccia artwork for any other occasion.

Focaccia art on homemade focaccia bread.
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This decorative bread can be enjoyed the same way as traditional focaccia. Serve alongside pasta dishes, salads or soups. You may also like to try these mini focaccia rolls which are baked in a muffin tin to create individual portions of this delicious Italian style bread.

Focaccia ingredients

See the recipe card at the end of this post with a detailed list of ingredients including quantities.

  • Strong flour (bread flour) - with a protein content of 12% to 14%.
  • Salt - use sea salt for the best flavour.
  • Easy bake yeast - mix with the other dry ingredients to make the focaccia dough.
  • Olive oil - Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the best olive oil for focaccia
  • Water - use hand hot so it is at the correct temperature to activate the yeast.

Focaccia topping ideas

  • Fresh herbs such as rosemary, fennel or parsley.
  • Cherry tomatoes - cut in half or sliced.
  • Sun dried tomatoes.
  • Marinated olives - any type.
  • Sweet peppers - red, yellow, orange or green, or a mixture. Slice and cook in olive oil before using.
  • Red onions - slice and cook in olive oil first.
  • Garlic cloves - roast before using.
  • Courgette - slice into circles or lengthwise.
  • Seeds - such as pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds or sunflower seeds.
  • Cheese - your focaccia art can include pieces of cheese such as mozzarella or feta.

Prepare the focaccia dough

Place the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix.

A bowl with flour, salt and yeast.

Heat the water until it is hand hot (at a similar temperature to a hot bath) and add to the dry ingredients.

Add 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Mix with an electric mixer with dough hooks for around 3 to 4 minutes. The dough will be quite wet at this stage, if it isn't then add a little more water. If you don't have an electric mixer you can knead the dough by hand for around 10 minutes.

Bread dough in a bowl being mixed with an electric mixer.

Cover the focaccia dough and leave to rise until it has doubled in size (around an hour).

A bowl of bread dough which has risen.

Transfer the dough onto a floured board and fold it over itself 3 or 4 times.

Oil the baking tin with plenty of olive oil. Place the dough in the tin and stretch it to fit. Leave to prove in a warm place for about 30 minutes to 1 hour until the dough has risen slightly. 

Make dimples on the top of the dough with your finger. If the dough is sticky, dip your finger in olive oil first so that it doesn't stick to your finger.

Your focaccia is now ready to decorate.

Decorate

Arrange your focaccia toppings on a board. This way you can easily re-arrange the ingredients until you are happy with your design. If you move them around after placing them on the focaccia dough some ingredients such as peppers may leave a mark. But of course if you know how you want to arrange your focaccia toppings you can skip this stage and place them directly onto the dough.

Flower arrangement using herbs, tomatoes and peppers on a board.

Transfer to the toppings to the focaccia.

Unbaked focaccia decorated with tomatoes, olives, peppers and herbs to make a flower design.

Drizzle with extra virgen olive oil (EVOO) and sprinkle a generous amount of sea salt over the top.

Bake

Bake the decorated focaccia at 200oC, 400oF, gas mark 6 for around 20 minutes or until the top of the focaccia is firm and turning slightly golden.

Focaccia art with toppings to form flowers.

How to store focaccia

  • Your homemade focaccia can be stored in an airtight tin until the next day. If you wish to keep it any longer I recommend it is frozen.
  • To freeze - cut into portions, place in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month. Defrost at room temperature or in a microwave on the defrost setting.

Related recipes

  • Rosemary focaccia
    Rosemary focaccia
    Cook Time2 Hours 40 Minutes
  • Several individual focaccia rolls on a plate.
    Mini focaccia rolls
    Cook Time2 Hours 10 Minutes
  • No knead olive bread
    Olive bread (No knead Dutch oven bread)
    Cook Time13 Hours
  • Rosemary and olive rolls
    Rosemary and olive rolls (tear and share)
    Cook Time2 Hours 35 Minutes
Homemade focaccia with focaccia art.

Focaccia art

Focaccia art is homemade focaccia with edible toppings such as tomatoes, olives and herbs arranged to form a focaccia garden or other design. It is served the same way as traditional focaccia as an appetiser with dipping oil or a side with pasta dishes, salads or soups.
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Proving time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Total Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8
Calories 324 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

For the dough

  • 500 grams bread flour
  • 2½ teaspoons easy bake yeast
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 360 millilitres water approx

To oil the tin

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

To decorate the focaccia

  • 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • Plus toppings of your choice

Instructions
 

Prepare the focaccia dough

  • Place the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl and mix.
  • Heat the water to hand hot and start by adding 350ml to the bowl with the other ingredients. The water will be at the correct temperature when it is roughly the temperature of a hot bath. This will be warm enough to activate the yeast but not too hot to kill it. 
    Add 2 tablespoons olive oil.
  • Mix with an electric mixer with dough hooks for around 3 to 4 minutes. The dough should be quite wet at this stage, if it isn't add a little more water.
    If you don't have an electric mixer, knead the dough by hand for around 10 minutes. 
  • Cover the bowl and leave in a warm place to prove for around an hour or until it has doubled in size. 
  • Tip the dough onto a floured board and fold over 3 to 4 times. 
  • Liberally oil the baking tin with olive oil. Place the dough in the tin and stretch it to fit. Leave to prove in a warm place for about 30 minutes to 1 hour until the dough has risen slightly. 
  • Make dimples in the top of the dough . The dough will be sticky so dip your finger in olive oil first so that it doesn't stick to the dough.

Decorate the focaccia

  • Arrange the focaccia toppings on a board, re-arranging as needed until you have finalised your design. Transfer the arrangement to the top of the unbaked focaccia.
  • Drizzle 1 to 1.5 tablespoons olive oil over the top of the dough allowing it to settle into the dimples. Sprinkle flakes of sea salt over the top of the dough. The dough will look very oily at this stage.

To bake the focaccia

  • Bake at 200oC, 400oF, gas mark 6 for around 20 minutes or until it is golden on top and firm to the touch.
  • Leave to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

Notes

Note
The nutritional information includes topping the focaccia with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt only.  It does not include any other focaccia toppings as these will vary depending on your choice of toppings.  

Nutrition

Calories: 324kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 9gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 890mgPotassium: 99mgFiber: 3gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Bread, Focaccia
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Bread

  • A partly sliced loaf of walnut and cranberry bread.
    Walnut and cranberry bread
  • Star bread.
    Star bread (cinnamon bread)
  • Croutons
    Oven baked croutons
  • No knead fruit bread
    Fruit bread (Dutch oven bread)

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Veggie Ideas! I'm Judith and I created this site out of a love of good food, home cooking and a desire to share recipes so that others can enjoy them too. 

More about me →

Popular

  • Almond slices (frangipane slices)
    Almond slice recipe (frangipane cake slices)
    Cook Time2 Hours
  • Several chocolate quinoa bites on a white plate.
    Chocolate quinoa bites (no bake)
    Cook Time1 Hours
  • Honey flapjacks with fruit and nuts.
    Honey flapjacks with fruit and nuts (without golden syrup)
    Cook Time30 Minutes
  • A roll of several sheets of filo pastry.
    How to use filo pastry (tips and filo pastry recipes)

Seasonal recipes

  • Spanakopita spiral spinach and feta pie
    Spanakopita spiral (spinach and feta tart)
    Cook Time1 Hours 25 Minutes
  • A plate of pasta with scrambled eggs and asparagus.
    Pasta with eggs and asparagus (scrambled egg pasta)
    Cook Time30 Minutes
  • Hasselback carrots
    Hasselback carrots with honey and rosemary
    Cook Time55 Minutes
  • Asparagus quiche made using filo pastry.
    Asparagus quiche with filo pastry
    Cook Time1 Hours 25 Minutes

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Footer

↑ back to top

Copyright © 2025 Veggie Ideas

Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}
Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This worked exactly as written, thanks!
My family loved this!
Thank you for sharing this recipe

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required