Cranberry and grape focaccia
Grapes soaked in red wine top this unusual focaccia studded with dried cranberries.
Equipment and preparation: You will need a 25cm/10in well-sealed springform tin.
Ingredients
For the dough
- 2½ tsp fast-action dried yeast
- 2 tsp sugar
- 450ml/16fl oz lukewarm water
- 600g/1lb 5oz ‘00’ flour, plus extra for dusting
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing
- 2 tsp chopped thyme
- 100g/3½oz dried cranberries
For the topping
- 20 red grapes
- 100ml/3½fl oz red wine
- 4–5 small sprigs thyme
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
Method
Grease a large mixing bowl with olive oil. Line a 25cm/10in well-sealed springform tin with baking parchment. Cover the outside with foil just in case the red wine later leaks through the sides of the tin, and grease the sides with olive oil. Ìý
Mix the yeast and sugar in 150ml/¼ pint of the lukewarm water in a small bowl and allow the yeast to activate and get frothy – about 6–8 minutes.
Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add the salt, olive oil, thyme and activated yeast mixture. Mix and add the remaining warm water as required to form a soft loose dough.
Knead until the dough is very pliable and smooth, which should take about 7–10 minutes by hand, or place in a mixer fitted with a dough hook and beat for 4–5 minutes, or until the dough is soft and elastic. The dough should still be a little sticky.
Place the dough into the oiled mixing bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place until the dough has trebled in size and is springy to the touch (2–3 hours).
In the meantime, for the topping, heat the grapes and red wine in a pan, but not to boiling point. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
When the dough has risen, knock it back by gently kneading it again on a lightly floured surface for about 2 minutes. Add the dried cranberries to the dough at this stage. Gently flatten the dough into the spring-form tin and brush with olive oil. Pour over the grapes and red wine.
Cover with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place until it doubles in size (30–40 minutes).
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. When the dough has doubled in size, sprinkle over the thyme and sugar and bake for about 30–40 minutes. Allow to cool in the tin for 20 minutes. Carefully loosen and transfer to the cooling rack.
