Sourdough Focaccia with Edible Flowers

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If sourdough focaccia isn't the most perfect vehicle for celebrating spring, I don't know what is. This bread is chewy, ultra crispy, and totally customizable - flavor and decorate it as you see fit.

Use any fresh edible flowers, herbs, or even vegetables for this lovely focaccia bread. I used grape hyacinth, cherry blossoms, rosemary leaves & blossoms, and lilacs for this because they were what I had growing in the garden currently. Using chives works great for your flower "stems".

You can make sourdough focaccia in a standard sheet pan or a 13x9 inch pan. The sheet pan will yield a thinner result that is chewy and super crispy on the top and bottom. A 13x9 inch pan will create a bread that is a bit thicker.

I used a combination of bread flour and all purpose flour for this bread because I like the chewy texture bread flour provides but wanted a little more tenderness from the all purpose flour. You can also make this bread with all bread flour, but you may need to adjust your water ratio slightly.

Sourdough Focaccia Bread

75 grams active, bubbly sourdough starter

2 teaspoons sugar

360 grams water

400 grams bread flour

100 grams all purpose flour

10 grams sea salt

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3 tablespoons olive oil, for coating

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Edible flowers, herbs, and coarse sea salt flakes, for topping (optional)

The night before:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together sourdough starter, water, and sugar. Add flour and salt, mixing to form a rough mass.

2. Allow dough to rest about 30 minutes, then shape it into a round ball. Place in a well oiled bowl, flipping to coat the dough with oil on all sides. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and leave to rest overnight at room temperature, about 12 or more hours, until dough has at least doubled.

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The next morning:

1. Check to see that your dough has at least doubled. If not, give it more time to rise.

2. Oil a sheet pan with the olive oil, spreading with your fingers or a pastry brush to cover the entire surface. Alternatively, you can also use a 13x9 inch pan for this (you'll get a slightly thicker final bread).

3. Remove dough from bowl with oiled hands and place on sheet pan, flipping to coat with olive oil. Use your fingers to gently stretch and flatten the dough just a little bit. You don't want to stretch it to fit the pan at this point - just let it rest for now.

4. Cover with an inverted sheet pan or well-oiled plastic wrap and let the dough rest at least 2 hours, or until doubled and bubbly. This may take a few hours depending on your sourdough starter and your room temperature. Your dough probably still won't fill the whole pan - don't worry about that!

5. Preheat oven to 425° F.

6. Use the fingers of both your hands to dimple the dough (as if you're planning the piano), pressing your fingers all the way to the sheet pan. Dimple entire surface of dough, stretching very gently as you go.

7. Arrange your edible flowers and herbs however you like. Press them into the dough as your decorate so they don't pop out as the bread rises in the oven!

8. Use a pastry brush to coat all your toppings with olive oil and brush a bit more onto the entire surface of the bread. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt, if desired.

9. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until bread is golden brown on the top and bottom. Allow to cool before slicing and eating.

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Sourdough Focaccia Bread

The night before:

The next morning:

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