Description
Poinsettia Focaccia Bread is a festive and visually stunning savory bread, perfect for holiday gatherings. Featuring a soft and airy dough topped with red bell peppers arranged into poinsettia flower shapes, yellow cherry tomatoes as flower centers, and optional arugula for leaf decoration, this focaccia is both delightful to look at and delicious to taste.
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 warm, filtered water
- 1½ Teaspoons granulated sugar
For the Topping
- 2 large red bell peppers, cut into triangles
- 1 yellow cherry tomato
- Arugula leaves (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, mix together salt, sugar, flour, dried rosemary, instant yeast, warm water, and 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Use an electric mixer with a dough hook attachment or a spatula to mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Prepare Baking Dish and Dough Rise: Pour olive oil into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or slab and spread to coat evenly. Transfer the dough into the dish, pressing it down until it reaches the corners. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise for 1 hour at room temperature until it doubles in size.
- Preheat Oven: Once the dough has risen, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Dimple the Dough: Using your fingers, poke the dough all over to create dimples characteristic of focaccia bread.
- Arrange Bell Pepper Flowers: Form two poinsettia flower shapes by arranging the red bell pepper triangles on top of the dough.
- Add Tomato Centers: Cut the yellow cherry tomato in half and place one half in the center of each bell pepper flower, mimicking the poinsettia blossom centers.
- Season and Bake: Sprinkle a bit more sea salt evenly over the dough and toppings. Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Finish and Garnish: After baking, drizzle the focaccia bread generously with olive oil. Optionally, arrange fresh arugula leaves near the flower decorations to resemble poinsettia leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Poinsettia focaccia bread is charming and easy to make, even for novice bakers.
- This bread is perfect as a centerpiece or appetizer for holiday meals and festive occasions.
- Make sure the water used for the dough is warm but not hot, to activate the yeast properly.
- Using dried rosemary adds a fragrant aroma and flavor to the bread; fresh rosemary can be substituted if preferred.
- The arugula garnish is optional but adds a nice peppery contrast and visual appeal resembling leaves.
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
