Gardenscape focaccia bread

Turn this gardenscape focaccia into your own work of art using various herbs, edible flowers and in-season vegetables.

Gardenscape focaccia bread

HANDS-ON TIME 25 min | TOTAL TIME 3 hours 45 mins | SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
• 2 tbsp instant dry yeast
• 2 tbsp sugar 
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp salt, plus more for sprinkling on top
• 6 tbsp olive oil, plus extra virgin olive oil 
• 6-7 edible flowers of your choice
• 10 fresh thyme sprigs
• Handful cherry tomatoes 

METHOD

ADD the yeast, water and sugar into a bowl. Stir and allow it to sit for 5 minutes, until small bubbles form. 

MIX in the flour and olive oil and mix with your hands for 7 – 10 minutes; the mixture will be very wet. Allow to stand for 30 minutes. 

ADD the salt and mix until combined. 

COVER with cling wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours, or doubled in size. 

GENEROUSLY oil a deep baking tray with olive oil. Transfer your dough into the baking tray and cover with cling film. Proof for 1 hour. 

PREHEAT the oven to 220ºC.

DRIZZLE the dough with olive oil and dimple the surface using your fingertips. Arrange edible flowers and herbs in a gardenscape design on top of the dough and sprinkle over the sea salt flakes.

BAKE for 20 – 25  minutes or until golden. 

Tip from the team: The iconic dimples on the surface of a focaccia bread are done to help reduce the air in the dough and prevent the bread from puffing too quickly. Be sure to use fresh instant dried yeast to get the best result.

Print Recipe

Gardenscape focaccia bread

Serves: 6

Prep Time: 25 min Total Time: 3 hours 45 min

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
• 2 tbsp instant dry yeast
• 2 tbsp sugar 
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp salt, plus more for sprinkling on top
• 6 tbsp olive oil, plus extra virgin olive oil 
• 6-7 edible flowers of your choice
• 10 fresh thyme sprigs
• Handful cherry tomatoes 

Instructions

1

ADD the yeast, water and sugar into a bowl. Stir and allow it to sit for 5 minutes, until small bubbles form. 

2

MIX in the flour and olive oil and mix with your hands for 7 - 10 minutes; the mixture will be very wet. Allow to stand for 30 minutes. 

3

ADD the salt and mix until combined. 

4

COVER with cling wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours, or doubled in size. 

5

GENEROUSLY oil a deep baking tray with olive oil. Transfer your dough into the baking tray and cover with cling film. Proof for 1 hour. 

6

PREHEAT the oven to 220ºC.

7

DRIZZLE the dough with olive oil and dimple the surface using your fingertips. Arrange edible flowers and herbs in a gardenscape design on top of the dough and sprinkle over the sea salt flakes.

8

BAKE for 20 - 25  minutes or until golden. 

Notes

Tip from the team: The iconic dimples on the surface of a focaccia bread are done to help reduce the air in the dough and prevent the bread from puffing too quickly. Be sure to use fresh instant dried yeast to get the best result.

Made this recipe? Tag us @foodandhomesa #cookingwithFH on Instagram

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Kirsty Buchanan

Kirsty is the food assistant on the Food&Home team. Usually baking up a storm, snapping pics on her camera or buried in her beloved recipe books, she also spends her time tinkering on the piano, doing contemporary dancing and enjoying the beautiful outdoors.