French Onion Focaccia
A fluffy loaf of focaccia filled with layers of caramelized onions, gruyere and fresh thyme. Just like your favorite bowl of french onion soup, but in a buttery loaf of focaccia.
Ingredients
Focaccia Dough
- 390 grams of bread flour (about 3 1/4 cups)
- 340 grams of water (just under 1 1/2 cups)
- 6 grams of salt (1 teaspoon)
- 5 grams of instant yeast (1 1/2 teaspoons)
French Onion Filling
- 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- water
- 4 ounces of Gruyere, shredded or diced
Garnishes
- olive oil
- flaky sea salt
- fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
Make the dough…
- In a large bowl, combine 390 grams of bread flour with 340 grams of water, 6 grams of salt and 5 grams of instant yeast until all of the flour has been fully incorporated
- Cover the bowl and rest for 30 minutes
- Dampen your hands and grab dough from the outer edge of the bowl, pull it up about 8” and press it down into the center of the bowl. Repeat this process a few times working your way around the bowl
- Cover the bowl and rest in a warm place for about 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in volume
Prep the filling…
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- Add the thinly sliced onion and cook until soft and translucent
- Add a tablespoon of brown sugar and a few tablespoons of water and reduce the heat to medium low
- Continue cooking the onions until they are golden brown and caramelized (add a few tablespoons of water when the skillet becomes dry)
- Transfer the onions off of the heat once they are caramelized
- Shred or dice 4 ounces of gruyere
Assemble the dough…
- When the dough is done proofing, transfer it into a generously greased 10” oven safe skillet or 9”x9” deep baking dish
- Use damp fingers to work the dough out a bit and spread about half of the caramelized onions and gruyere over the surface
- Pick the bottom third of the dough up and fold over into the center and then pull the top third over and press down a bit to seal
- Flip the dough seam side down
- Cover the dish and let the dough rest in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or until it has puffed and spread throughout the dish
Bake and garnish…
- Preheat your oven to 425°
- Drizzle the top of the dough with olive oil and use your finger to dimple the dough all over
- Bake for 20 minutes
- Carefully transfer the dish onto a heat proof surface (close the oven door quickly to trap the heat) and spread the remaining caramelized onions and gruyere over the top surface and return to the 425° oven
- Bake for an additional 8-10 minutes or until the underside is golden brown and the loaf feels springy to a touch
- Top with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and finely chopped fresh herbs
- Let the loaf rest for 20 minutes or more before slicing