Grape Focaccia

I usually make this focaccia in the fall months when the moscato grapes are in season and local. It's one of my favourite focaccia's to snack on. Great with a nice piece of parmesan cheese. But I couldn't resist making it today after I saw and bought moscato grapes at the grocery store. The moscato grape is a little sweeter than most grapes and that's why it also makes a nice dessert wine, which btw, I also love!

The dough for this focaccia is a little less dense than my pizza dough. It's a little softer and more tender. I find it produces a dough that is light and airy. I don't even knead it. I just mix with my hands until the flour and water are combined. It's a very forgiving dough recipe that my mom always made.You can definitely use this dough for pizza too.

I made my dough the night before and left it on the counter at room temperature until the next day when I was ready to stretch it out in my pan. You can also make it in the morning, the day of. I used a 12x17 jelly roll pan.

Moscato Grape Focaccia

For the Dough

2 teaspoon dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon honey
4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups water
olive oil

For the Topping

Moscato grapes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped

Dissolve the yeast and honey in the warm water and let stand for 10 minutes. The yeast should become foamy. Place the flour in a large enough bowl that the dough can double in size. Mix in the salt. Pour the yeast in the flour and start pouring in the water a little at a time. You might not need all the water. Using your hands, mix until the dough is soft and sticky. Drizzle a little olive oil on the top and cover with plastic wrap and a tea towel. Place in a warm place for at least 2 hours or overnight, until double in size.
When the dough is ready, use your fingers and stretch it out in a greased jelly roll pan. Let it sit for 45 minutes. In the meantime, make the topping.

Preheat oven to 400F. In a bowl, combine the grapes, olive oil, sugar and rosemary. Spread on dough and let it sit for 30 minutes. Place in oven and bake for 1 hour or until a nice golden colour. Serve warm or at room temperature.

m xo

Irish Soda Bread

I could tell you that I wanted to make this Irish soda bread for St. Patrick's day and that wouldn't be a total lie. But the real reason I wanted to make this is because I wanted to show off my pretty measuring that I found in NYC this weekend at Anthropologie.
When I saw it, I had to have it. How could I not want to make something that needed a liquid measuring cup?

This is a traditional soda bread that I adapted a little by adding raw sunflower seeds and rosemary. I used dry rosemary because I didn't have fresh on hand but I wouldn't recommend it. The dry had no flavour what-so ever. I would have been better off with maybe anise seeds. They definitely have a lot of flavour. Next time for sure.

If you don't have buttermilk, just make your own as I did by adding a tablespoon of white vinegar to 1 1/2 cups of milk and letting it sit for 30 minutes. Voila! Buttermilk. 

This is a really great recipe to have on hand if you want to serve fresh, warm bread but don't have the time that usual bread recipes require because of the yeast. You will literally have this made in an hour. 

This bread is baked in a cast iron skillet to form a nice, crunchy crust.

Irish Soda Bread

3 cups flour

1 cup cake flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped (preferably fresh)

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400F.

Place the flours, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, sugar, sunflower seeds and rosemary in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and work it in with a fork until completely incorporated. Make a well in the centre and add the buttermilk and mix until combined with a fork. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead until it comes together. Form into a round disk and place in a cast iron skillet. Score a deep cross on top and place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

m xo