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.
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.
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.
Cover the focaccia dough and leave to rise until it has doubled in size (around an hour).
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.
Transfer to the toppings to the focaccia.
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.
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 focaccia2 Hours 40 Minutes
- Mini focaccia rolls2 Hours 10 Minutes
- Olive bread (No knead Dutch oven bread)13 Hours
- Rosemary and olive rolls (tear and share)2 Hours 35 Minutes
Focaccia art
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.
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