# [[Focaccia - Garlic Butter]] **Prep Time:** **About 2 hours 15 minutes** (includes rests & final proof) **Cook Time:** **18–20 minutes** **Yield:** 1 focaccia (23 × 34 × 3 cm pan), serves 6–8 ## Ingredients ### For the dough - 2.1 cups (500 g) water - 2 tsp (6 g) instant dry yeast - 1 tbsp (20 g) honey - 1 tsp (pink) salt - 3 tbsp (40 ml) extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) - 4 1/3 cups (550 g) bread flour ### For the garlic-butter sauce - 2 bulbs garlic (≈20–25 cloves), peeled - Olive oil, as needed (for confit) - 7 tbsp (100 g) unsalted butter, softened - 2 tbsp (≈8 g) fresh parsley, finely chopped - 1 tsp (4 g) garlic powder - Salt, to taste - 1/3 tsp ground black pepper - 1 tsp (approx) red pepper flakes ### Equipment - 23 × 34 × 3 cm (9 × 13 × 1.2 in) baking pan - Mandoline or bench knife (optional) - Small oven-safe bowl for garlic confit ## Instructions 1. **Mix wet ingredients.** In a large bowl combine the water, yeast, honey, salt, and EVOO. Stir until dissolved and evenly distributed. 2. **Add flour & combine.** Add the bread flour to the wet mix and bring it together with a dough whisk or your hands. The dough should be soft, wet, and sticky. 3. **First rest.** Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for **30 minutes**. This autolyse-like rest lets the flour hydrate and makes handling easier. 4. **Make garlic confit.** Preheat the oven to ==**180°C / 350°F**== for the confit, then place peeled garlic cloves in a small oven-safe bowl and cover with olive oil. **~1 hour** Roast/gently bake until soft, golden, and fragrant (watch closely so they don’t brown too much). Remove and let cool. (Use a small amount of the confit oil later in the garlic butter.) 5. **Stretch & fold — 3 rounds.** Wet your hands and perform a stretch-and-fold from all four sides of the dough. Repeat this sequence two more times, resting **20–30 minutes** between each round. The dough will gain strength and show more bubbles after each round. 6. **Prepare garlic butter.** In a blender or with a fork, combine the roasted garlic (confit), softened butter, chopped parsley, garlic powder, salt, pepper, chili flakes, and a tablespoon or two of the garlic oil from the confit. Blend until creamy and smooth; set aside. 7. **Prepare the tray.** Oil the baking pan generously (or line with parchment). Gently transfer the dough into the pan, keeping as many air bubbles intact as possible. Arrange and spread gently to fit the pan. 8. **Final proof.** Cover and let the dough rise until light and puffy — avoid overproofing. Aim for **45–60 minutes** (final proof time can vary with room temperature). 9. **Dimple & add garlic butter.** Preheat oven to ==**230°C / 450°F**==. Drizzle olive oil over the dough and lightly oil your fingertips. Dimple the dough deeply with your fingertips, then spread the garlic butter all over the surface. Dimple again so the butter/oil soaks into the pockets. 10. **Bake.** Bake in the preheated oven for **18–20 minutes**, or until the top is golden and crispy and the interior feels light and soft. 11. **Finish.** As soon as the focaccia comes out of the oven, brush more garlic butter on top while it's hot. Let rest **a few minutes**, slice, and serve warm. #### Notes - Hydration note: keep the dough soft and slightly sticky — wetter dough → lighter, more open crumb. - Use high-protein bread flour for better structure and bigger air pockets. - Fermentation: be patient. In warm weather reduce yeast or shorten proof times; in cold weather allow longer fermentation. - Handle the dough gently when transferring to the pan to preserve air pockets. - Final proof: do **not** skip — **45–60 minutes** at room temp develops texture and oven spring. - Storage: store wrapped at room temp for 1–2 days, or freeze slices for longer storage. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ta6BUwShDvA" title="This Garlic Butter Focaccia Will Change The Way You Bake Bread Forever!" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>