Description
A festive and visually stunning Christmas Tree Focaccia that combines a soft, flavorful bread base with fresh, decorative toppings including rosemary, pear slices, cherry tomatoes, and pearl onions. Perfect for holiday gatherings, this focaccia is both delicious and beautifully styled to resemble a Christmas tree.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 1/4 tsp coarse salt
- 1 2/3 cups warm water
Toppings & Garnish
- Pear slices (thinly sliced)
- Pear slices (small pieces for tree base and topper)
- Pearl onions (peeled and halved)
- Cherry tomatoes (halved)
- Thinly sliced red onion
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
- Coarse salt (for sprinkling)
- Plenty of olive oil (a few tablespoons, for drizzling and greasing)
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the bread flour, active dry yeast, and coarse salt until evenly combined. Add the warm water and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a shaggy, wet mass. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel, then let it sit at room temperature for at least 12 hours, allowing it to rise, become bubbly, and develop flavor.
- Shape the dough: The next day, oil a 7×12-inch casserole dish generously with olive oil. Gently tip the risen dough out of the bowl and into the casserole dish. Using your hands, spread the dough evenly to fit the dish snugly. Use your fingers to dimple the surface, then drizzle more olive oil over the top. Cover lightly and let the dough rest at room temperature for 2 more hours to rise again.
- Preheat the oven: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Decorate the focaccia: Arrange the rosemary sprigs on the dough surface to resemble tree branches, fanning them out artistically. Use thin slices of pear as the tree trunk and optionally for the tree topper. Halve the cherry tomatoes and pearl onions and place them like festive ornaments on the ‘tree.’ Add thin slices of red onion if desired to enhance the decoration. Sprinkle a bit of coarse salt over the top to season.
- Bake: Place the decorated focaccia in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until the bread is puffed, golden brown, and the toppings have set beautifully.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes to cool slightly. Slice into portions and serve warm or at room temperature, perfect for holiday entertaining.
Notes
- For best results, use bread flour to achieve a chewy and airy crumb.
- Letting the dough ferment overnight enhances the flavor and texture.
- You can customize the toppings with other seasonal vegetables or herbs according to your taste and creativity.
- If pearl onions are unavailable, small sliced sweet onions can be used as a substitute.
- Use plenty of olive oil for both flavor and to keep the focaccia moist.
- Make sure to dimple the dough before the second rise to create characteristic focaccia texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 loaf (about 100g)
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
