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Spring Herbs and Preserved Lemon Focaccia

Flour.ish.en's picture
Flour.ish.en

Spring Herbs and Preserved Lemon Focaccia

The two foccacias shown here use a variety of ingredients that celebrate the arrival of spring: herbs from the garden, sprouted flour and lemon. That's where the similarity ends. Same dough, baked less than 18 hours apart, presented vastly different results. Has that happened to you before?

- Baked the first loaf on Tuesday around 6 pm. after leaving the dough to rest at room temperature for 3 hours. Result: open crumb.

- A second piece of the same dough went into the refrigerator on Tuesday (while the first loaf was resting and heading to the oven). Took it out on Wednesday at 9 am. Shaped and baked it at 12 noon. Result: dense crumb. Why?

Yes, dough develops at different rates, the shaping may differ, and oven conditions change. But the results from two seemingly similar bakes (which was my intention) ended up looking so remarkably different, in terms of the crumb structure, more than I can adequately explain.

What could be done differently to ensure consistency of results? Should dry yeast be added if I want to make the dough ahead, allow it rest in the refrigerator and bake later?

A complete write up can be found here: http://flourishen.blogspot.com/2016/05/spring-herbs-and-preserved-lemon.html

Welcome any comments and suggestions.

Comments

PalwithnoovenP's picture
PalwithnoovenP

Unique flavors too. Just seeing them gives me a wonderful feeling, what more if I tasted them!

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

herbs, capers and focaccia  that will take you right back to the Amalfi Coast!  This focaccia has to one taste bright like the sun and fresh as the ocean breeze!  Don't know why the retarded one didn't rise as much though.   Well done and happy baking 

Flour.ish.en's picture
Flour.ish.en

I'm really stumped by the "retarded" one. It hasn't happened before. This bread is not as forgiving. Is it because of the "00"?