Description
Poinsettia Focaccia Bread is a festive and visually stunning savory bread, decorated with red bell peppers and yellow cherry tomatoes to resemble poinsettia flowers. It’s a simple, yet impressive holiday treat perfect for sharing, featuring a fragrant rosemary flavor and a soft, airy texture.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough:
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
- 2 Teaspoons sea salt
- 3½ Cups all purpose flour
- 1 Teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 Tablespoon instant yeast (bread-making)
- 1½ Cups water (warm, filtered)
- 1½ Teaspoons granulated sugar
For Decoration:
- 2 large red bell peppers (cut into triangles)
- 1 yellow cherry tomato
- Arugula (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine salt, sugar, flour, rosemary, yeast, water, and olive oil. Mix using an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook or alternatively use a spatula until a shaggy dough forms, ensuring ingredients are well incorporated.
- Let the Dough Rise: Drizzle olive oil onto a 9 x 13-inch baking slab or dish and spread evenly. Transfer the dough into the dish and press it down gently until it reaches the corners, forming an even layer. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel and allow it to rise for one hour, until puffed and risen.
- Preheat the Oven: After the dough has doubled in size, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).
- Create Dimples in the Dough: Using your fingers, poke the dough all over to create dimples. This helps to develop the characteristic focaccia texture.
- Decorate the Bread: Arrange the red bell pepper triangles on the dough to form two poinsettia flower shapes. Cut the yellow cherry tomato in half, placing one half in the center of each bell pepper flower to mimic the flower’s core.
- Season and Bake: Sprinkle additional sea salt over the top to enhance flavor. Place the baking dish on the center rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until the focaccia is golden brown and cooked through.
- Finish and Garnish: Once baked, remove from the oven and immediately drizzle with extra olive oil for richness. Optionally, arrange arugula leaves near the flowers to imitate the leaves of the poinsettia plant, adding a fresh, peppery note and festive visual appeal.
Notes
- This focaccia is visually impressive yet simple to make, even for those new to baking.
- Use fresh, high-quality olive oil to enhance the flavor and texture of the bread.
- The red bell peppers and yellow cherry tomatoes create a festive and colorful design perfect for holiday tables.
- Arugula is optional but adds a nice fresh, leafy contrast to the bread’s design.
- Ensure the water is warm (not hot) to properly activate the yeast without killing it.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 344 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 782 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 59 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
