Recipes

Masterclass: Caramelised Garlic, Cherry Tomato and Rosemary Focaccia

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This bread is excellent made for the coldest of winter nights accompanied by your favourite stew or hearty soup. From Dean Brettschneider on Nestlé NZ Baking Masterclass Series 1.

Caramelised Garlic Topping

Ingredients

2 heads of garlic, separated into cloves
3 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon
water
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped

Method

In a saucepan of boiling water blanch the garlic for two minutes, refresh in cold water and peel then set aside.
Place the olive oil in a heavy fry pan over a medium heat, when simmering add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, taking care not to bun it. Add the water and balsamic vinegar and as the mixture bubbles add the sugar, salt, pepper and rosemary. Next reduce the heat to its lowest setting and simmer for approximately 3 – 4 minutes until a syrup is formed and the garlic is soft. Transfer to a bowl and cool until needed.

The Dough

Ingredients

325g strong bread flour
25g wholemeal or wholewheat flour
5g salt
15g olive oil
5 g fresh yeast (½ teaspoon active dried yeast)
220 ml water - tepid temperature
1 sprig fresh rosemary - broken into smaller sprigs for garnishing
5 firm cherry tomatoes – cut in half for garnishing
3 – 4 tablespoons each of olive oil and water – for garnishing

Method

Preheat oven to 230-240c

In a large mixing bowl, place all the ingredients except for the caramelised garlic topping, rosemary and tomatoes. Using a wooden spoon combined the ingredients together until a dough mass has formed. Then tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 15 - 20 minutes (taking a rest period of 30 seconds, every 3-4 minutes) until the dough is smooth and elastic in feel.

Lightly oil a bowl large enough to allow the dough to almost double in bulk. Put the dough in the bowl and cover with plastic, leave in a warmish place for approximately 1 hour. By this time the dough should have started to gas and nearly doubled in size.
Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured bench and very gently and loosely mould the dough piece into a round ball. Cover with plastic again and rest for 15 minutes.
Uncover the dough piece and using your palm of your hand, flatten the dough piece to a disc of 25cm in diameter and place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper which has 2 tablespoons of olive oil drizzled over it and smeared to a 25cm round circle. U
se you fingertips to ‘dock’ the dough leaving fingertip impressions in the dough’s surface. Next evenly stud the surface of the focaccia dough with the caramelized garlic cloves (not any of the syrup), rosemary sprigs and cherry tomatoes, then drizzle 1½ tablespoons olive oil and 1½ tablespoons of water over the dough’s fingertip impressions and toppings.

Loosely cover again with the plastic and allow to prove in a warm place for approximately 1 hour or until the dough spring back a little but still leave your finger indentation in the dough after you push your finger into it.

Place directly into a preheated set at 230 - 240ºC and bake for approximately 12 - 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and brush with olive oil and cool on a wire rack.