Italian Rosemary Focaccia, Made with Monk Fruit Sweetener
International dishesSavory CakesItaly20 minutes to prepare, 3 hours to make
Italian rosemary focaccia is a good loaf to learn kneading on, because the dough is wet and forgiving under the hands. The trade is patience: 15 to 20 minutes of folding and stretching before it has any real elasticity. The water for the yeast should only be warm, around 30 degrees C.
The dough is ready when it feels slightly tacky under a finger but lifts away clean, and stretches into a thin translucent sheet. A 30 minute rest after mixing and before kneading makes the whole job much easier on the hands.
This batch weighs about 763g, at roughly 234 calories per 100g.
Method
Put 290g warm water at about 30 degrees C and 7g instant yeast in a bowl and stir.
Add 9g kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, 7g salt and 30g olive oil and keep stirring until they dissolve.
Sift 400g bread flour into the yeast mixture and stir with a spatula until it comes together into a mass. Cover with cling film and rest for 30 minutes.
Knead by folding and stretching: fold the dough over, press and push it away with the heel of the hand, turn it 90 degrees and repeat for 15 to 20 minutes.
The dough is ready when it is smooth and elastic, slightly tacky under a finger but clean when the hand lifts, and stretches into a thin sheet.
Prove the dough, then spread it out on an oiled tray, press the characteristic dimples with the fingertips, scatter 10g rosemary leaves and 2 teaspoons dried rosemary over the surface and bake until golden.
Tips
Yeast works best between 20 and 37 degrees C, and hotter water weakens or kills it.
Bread flour is sold at baking supply shops, and all purpose flour gives a less chewy crumb.
Fresh rosemary keeps longer wrapped in kitchen paper inside a sealed box in the fridge.
Press your fingers all the way to the bottom of the tray for the dimples, since shallow dents disappear as the dough rises.
Need kOBE Monk Fruit Blend?
The recipe above is sweetened with kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, measured 1:1 like sugar. See the product page or send us a message.