Description
Crusty freshly baked bread with oozy warm camembert, drizzled with sweet honey and topped with a sprinkle of sea salt and dukkah.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Focaccia:
- 3 1/3 cups (500 g) white bread flour
- 1 (10 g) sachet dried yeast
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 ml) salt
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) lukewarm water
- Extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling and greasing)
- Sea salt, to taste
- Fresh thyme, for garnish
- 1 wheel of camembert cheese
- Honey, for drizzling
- Dukkah, for sprinkling (see recipe below)
For the Dukkah:
- 1/4 cup hazelnuts
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Dukkah Preparation:
- Toast the Nuts and Seeds: In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the hazelnuts until golden and fragrant. Remove and toast the sesame, coriander, and cumin seeds until they start to pop. Allow all nuts and seeds to cool.
- Grind the Mixture: Coarsely grind the hazelnuts, sesame seeds, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds together with salt and pepper using a mortar and pestle or a food processor.
Focaccia Preparation:
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center and gradually add lukewarm water while mixing to form a dough.
- Knead the Dough: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- First Proofing: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Shape and Second Proofing: Punch down the dough and stretch it out on an oiled baking tray. Create dimples in the dough with your fingers. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle sea salt and thyme. Let rise for another 20 minutes.
- Bake the Focaccia: Preheat your oven to 392°F (200°C). Bake the focaccia for 20 minutes until golden. Remove and let cool slightly.
- Prepare the Camembert: Cut a circle in the center of the focaccia to fit the camembert. Slice the top off the cheese and place it cut side up in the bread.
- Final Baking: Drizzle additional olive oil and bake at 338°F (170°C) for 25 minutes until the cheese is melted. Cover with foil if it browns too quickly.
- Serving: Immediately after baking, drizzle with honey, sprinkle with homemade dukkah, a few sprigs of thyme, and additional sea salt. Serve warm.
Notes
- Ensure all ingredients, especially the yeast and water, are at the correct temperatures to guarantee a successful rise.
- The dough’s second proof is crucial for achieving the classic focaccia texture.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Rising Time: 50 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 loaf
- Calories: 701
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 375mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 9.4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22.6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 75.5g
- Fiber: 2.2g
- Protein: 21.6g
- Cholesterol: 45mg