Does this look gluten-free to you: Garlic and rosemary focaccia 

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Does this look gluten-free to you: Garlic and rosemary focaccia

By Becky Excell

Published: | Updated:

Every time I eat this focaccia, I absolutely cannot believe that it’s gluten-free. It’s light and fluffy with a soft crust, infused with tons of flavour thanks to the olive oil and finished with a hit of fresh rosemary and salt.

SERVES 4-5

TAKES 45 minutes plus 1 hour proving

280ml warm water

7g active dried yeast (ensure gluten-free)

1 tbsp caster sugar

260g gluten-free white bread flour or gluten-free plain flour

2 tsp xanthan gum

15g psyllium husk powder (ensure gluten-free)

6g salt

1 large egg

1 tsp cider vinegar

60ml olive oil, plus extra for greasing

TO FINISH 

garlic-infused oil

fresh rosemary sprigs

flaky sea salt

  • Mix your warm water, yeast and sugar in a jug, then allow to stand for 10 minutes until nice and frothy.
  • In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add your flour, xanthan gum, psyllium husk powder and salt. Mix together until well combined, then add your egg, vinegar, oil and frothy yeast mixture to the dry ingredients.
  • Either in a stand mixer fitted with a beater attachment or with an electric hand whisk, mix on a high speed for 3 minutes until well combined. It should look like a very thick, sticky batter. Leave to rest for about 10 minutes.
  • Grease a 23cm square baking tin with a little oil, then add another glug of olive oil to lightly coat the base of the tin. Tip your rested dough into the tin and spread out using lightly oiled hands and a spatula. It might seem a little resistant at first, but continue to spread it into a nice, even layer. Loosely cover with clingfilm and prove in a warm place for 1 hour until noticeably risen.
  • Preheat your oven to 230C/ 210C fan/gas 8. Using oiled fingers, make several deep dimples in the risen dough, then drizzle garlic-infused oil all over the top to fill the dimples. Sprinkle with fresh rosemary and salt before cooking in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden in colour.
  • Remove from the oven and carefully take out of the baking tin. Tap the base to check that it feels and sounds hollow – if so, then it’s done. Drizzle with some extra garlic-infused oil and place on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

TIP Feel free to add any extra toppings to your focaccia just before baking – olives and cherry tomatoes work especially well.