Baking Bread

Baking breads

Baking bread is one of the greatest things learned while I have been in school. There is nothing like a fresh piece of bread right out of the oven. Baking is a very precise art where you have to weigh all of the ingredients to make sure that everything is precise. All of my baking recipes will be in ounces and grams so if you do not have a baking scale you will need to go out and get one to make these recipes. I will be going to the type of bread that I have become most familiar with and best at baking. This bread is focaccia bread. I will give a little history and some interesting facts about this unique bread. I will give you the best recipes I have and use all the time for this bread. Focaccia bread is also known as roman flat bread. It is very popular in Italy, school children will buy a slice from bakers on the way to school to eat it during snack time. The dough is similar in every way to pizza dough. My favorite recipe for focaccia bread is as follows:

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. Sugar

1 Tbsp. Active dry yeast

12 Fl. Oz. Temperature controlled water (75°-95° F.)

1 lbs. 2 Oz. All-purpose flour

3 Tsp. Kosher salt

4 Oz. Yellow Onion (chopped fine)

½ FL Oz. Olive Oil

2 Tbsp. Crush rosemary

½ Serrano pepper (chopped fine)

5 Oz. Grated Smoked Gouda (Can be any other cheese if preferred)

3 Thick-cut strips of bacon

2 Cloves garlic

Procedure:

1.      Dissolve Sugar and yeast in temperature controlled water.

2.      Add Flour 4 Oz. at a time until fully mixed (scrape down sides of the bowl before adding more every time).

3.      Mix in 2 Tsp. of salt and all of the onion.

4.      Knead dough on a floured surface or in a mixer fitted with a dough hook until all ingredients are combined and dough is smooth.

5.      Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap until the dough has doubled in size.

6.      Cook the bacon and cut up into pieces that are no bigger than and 1/8 of and in by 1/8 of an inch.

7.      Once the dough has doubled in size punch the dough down to get all air pockets gone.

8.      Flatten on an oiled baking sheet the dough should not be more than one inch thick.

9.      Brush the top of the dough with olive oil and cover the top with the Serrano pepper, Bacon, Garlic, and Rosemary.

10.  Place in a 400°F. Oven for about 20 min. When there is about 5-7 min of baking left spread the graded Gouda cheese all over the top of the bread and finish cooking.

11.  Finally let rest and cool down then cut and enjoy!!!