The Best Bread Machine Focaccia Bread

I was looking at recipes for focaccia and came across this one by Alexandra Cooks. The recipe was for overnight bread, but I have a handy dandy bread machine so I decided to try to make the dough in the machine. The size restrictions on recipes for this Sunbeam model is 4 cups (flour) maximum. I was excited to make it because it qualified. 

I used a half-sized sheet pan. 

Ingredients:

4 cups flour (512 g) 

2 teaspoons salt (10 g)

2-4 teaspoons Instant Yeast (8 g or double)

2 cups lukewarm water (455 g)

Butter for greasing - I just sprayed the pan with Pam

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt (regular)

Flaked sea salt like Maldon

1 - 2 teaspoons optional rosemary

Drizzle of preferred spices for the top, I used Italian spices and some pepper flakes, cheese, and peppers.

Method:

1. Add the ingredients into the bread machine in the layers described by the bread machine manufacturer.  In my case, it is wet ingredients first. 

2. I added 2 tablespoons of olive oil at this point. Which was not in the original recipe, so my adaptation. 

3. Add the flour after sifting. I added 2 teaspoons of sugar, again not in the original recipe. Then the salt and a flat tablespoon of instant yeast, added last. I am very familiar with my yeast's usual behaviour and I wanted a good rise so I doubled the yeast.

4. Turn on the dough function of your machine and wait a few minutes for the machine to gather most of the flour. I usually give the kneading dough a spatula assist to incorporate the bits of flour on the side. 

5. After the machine settles into the rise cycle, I quickly spay some Pam on the surface so it does not dry out while rising. 

6. After the first rise is complete, remove the dough and stretch it onto a greased half sheet pan. Let it rise till doubled. It took an hour for mine. Also, cover the dough with a damp, clean kitchen towel. 

7. Once risen, dimple the dough with your greased fingers and then add the toppings of your choice. Drizzle a little olive oil over the surface, I don't like too much on there. 

8. Bake at 425* for 25-30 minutes. 

This would make an excellent deep-dish pizza. Or just plain focaccia for a side, perhaps with a dipping sauce made from olive oil and balsamic vinegar. 

Enjoy!

~Cookin Mum