Sunbeam Bread Maker Focaccia Recipe

If you're an avid bread lover looking to expand your baking horizons, you're in for a treat. Today, we're going to dive into the world of Italian cuisine and explore how to make focaccia, a delicious flatbread, using your Sunbeam bread maker. This versatile appliance isn't just for loaves; it can also help you create delectable, aromatic focaccia right at home. Let's get started!

how to make focaccia bread in bread machine with rosemary sprigs

Before we begin, let's briefly understand focaccia. Hailing from Italy, this flatbread is typically thick and soft, with a texture that's somewhere between bread and pizza. It's often topped with a variety of ingredients like herbs, olive oil, or even tomatoes. Now, let's explore how to make this culinary delight using your Sunbeam bread maker.

Bread Machine Focaccia Dough: Healthy Bread Machine Recipes

Preparation and Dough Mixture

Focaccia dough is quite simple and similar to pizza dough. It's soft, malleable, and rich in flavor due to the presence of olive oil. Let's discuss the key ingredients and how to prepare them.

15+ Delicious Focaccia Bread Machine Recipes to Try at Home

Traditional focaccia dough consists of flour, water, yeast, olive oil, salt, and sometimes a touch of sugar. For this recipe, we'll use the basic ingredients, along with some fresh rosemary for added flavor. Here's a simple ingredients list to start with:

3 cups of bread flour
1.5 cups of warm water
2 teaspoons of salt
1 package of active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons of olive oil, plus more for greasing
1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary, chopped (optional)

bread machine fluffy focaccia bread in a loaf pan with text overlay

Mixing the Dough

Begin by adding the flour, yeast, and salt to the bread maker's pan. Make sure to add the yeast on one side and the salt on the other to avoid direct contact, which can kill the yeast.

Next, pour in the warm water and olive oil. The water should be between 105°F to 115°F (41°C to 46°C) to activate the yeast. If you don't have a thermometer, it should feel barely warm to the touch. Finally, sprinkle the chopped rosemary over the top, if using.

Bread Maker Settings

Place the pan into your Sunbeam bread maker. Most models have a dough setting or a manual cycle with a dough only option. Select this setting and start the cycle. The machine will mix, knead, and rise the dough for you, saving you the manual labor.

Once the cycle is complete, remove the pan from the bread maker. You'll notice that the dough has doubled in size and is sitting softly in the pan.

bread machine focaccia in a baking pan with the words bread machine focaccia

Shaping and Baking the Focaccia

Now that we have our risen dough, it's time to give it the distinct focaccia shape and bake it to golden perfection. Here's how:

homemade focaccia bread is cut into squares and placed on a baking sheet

an uncooked pizza sitting on top of a baking pan covered in cheese and herbs

The Best, Easiest Overnight Focaccia Bread

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Carefully scoop the risen dough out of the pan and onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead the dough for a minute or two, then let it rest for 5 minutes. This will make it easier to shape.

Preparing the Focaccia Pan

Grease a baking pan or sheet with olive oil. A 9x13-inch or 10x15-inch pan works well for this size of dough. Once greased, sprinkle a liberal amount of coarse sea salt on the bottom of the pan. This will give your focaccia a distinctive crunch and flavor.

Shaping the Dough

Press and stretch the dough to fit the prepared pan. It should be about 1 inch thick. Use your fingers to dimple the surface of the dough, taking care not to press too hard and poke through to the bottom.

Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise for another 30 minutes. After rising, it should be noticeably puffy and softer to touch.

Baking

While the dough is rising, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Once the oven is ready and the dough has risen, drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over the top of the focaccia. You can also scatter more rosemary or other toppings like cherry tomatoes or olives for added flavor.

Place the pan into the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. The focaccia is done when it's golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Once baked, remove the focaccia from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, using a spatula, carefully lift the focaccia out of the pan and onto a cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely before slicing and serving.

Enjoy your homemade Sunbeam bread maker focaccia! Whether you're enjoying it on its own, with soup, or as a side dish, this versatile Italian flatbread is sure to become a new favorite. Buon appetito!