Where have I gone wrong with this focaccia?

[ggratis]

My focaccia hasn’t risen & it’s like crusty breadill attach a photo. I followed the recipe and proofing time exactly. Where have I gone wrong?

Was the yeast fresh? I've had bread not rise when I've used yeast that has been open in the cupboard for a few months.

I bought the yeast today, it’s instant yeast is that right?

This recipe works.

@marmaladeandpeanutbutterIs there a link please? x

I used

500g bread flour
400ml warm water
2 tsp yeast
12ml olive oil
1 tsp salt

Maybe the water wasn’t warm enough or perhaps you needed a smaller baking tray.

I would have expected a lot more oil for focaccia. Sometimes a batch of flour isn't great. Sometimes, even freshly opened yeast is a bit duff. If you make bread regularly you get more of a feel for how a batch behaves and adjust accordingly.

It’s about 2cm tall, the baking dish was 35x24. It’s just so crispy like a crusty loaf, tastes okay. Any ideas on what I can do with it now? Wanted to use it for sandwiches but it’s too flat

That was 12mls of olive oil in the dough, there was lots on top, could I have used too much? I’m desperate to start baking bread, I’ve tried once years ago (diff oven) to make some rolls and they were rock hard too.

Has anyone got a recipe for a total beginner? Something that is very very difficult to get wrong

I recommend Delia’s focaccia recipe. Easy to follow instructions and has worked every time for me ( it was the first bread I made).
https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/international/european/italian-recipes/focaccia

Thank you, do you use the 20x26cm tray? Is it important it’s exactly that or does the area just need to be roughly the same? And do you put the entire bowl into a bag like the recipe or can I cover with cling film?

Where does everyone prove the dough usually? I left it in the oven with the light on with cling film and a tea towel could that be it?

I bought the delia recommended tin ( because I didn’t have anything else suitable and my local cookshop was a stockist). I’m not sure how important that is because I haven’t tried it in another sized tin.
I have a kitchenaid so I do the first part of the mixing in that and then put the bowl in a large plastic bag with a clip. I just leave it on my kitchen table to prove (near to the radiator in the winter).
if you didn’t want to buy a new tin, you could scale up the recipe - by adding 50% more ingredients to fit your tin.

Forgot to say I am not sure about cling film - some recipes say use a shower cap. I happen to have a supply of large clear bags so just use one of those.

Sorry about that!

It won’t let me link! Look up YouTube video “how to make focaccia, by Jamie and Gennaro

Thanks all!! Gonna give it another go I’ll let you know how I get on

I would say you can't always follow the proving time exactly - it'll normally say something like 'or until it has doubled in size' because it depends on the temperature in your house as well. And I think you probably did spread it out a bit too thinly in the tray as well.

Good luck!

Inspired by this thread, I made this focaccia this afternoon and it was divine!

https://www.recipetineats.com/focaccia-recipe/

do you have a picture @KittytheHare? I’d love to see

Did you do stretch and folds? It should be very bubbly by the end of risings

Well I could have taken a picture but unfortunately we devoured it before I thought of that! I would really encourage you to try this recipe, not complex and very clear instructions. It uses mashed potato which is quite unusual but gives an amazing chewy texture.

I did 5 stretch and folds x 2 as this is what the tiktok recipe said does that sound right

I think I usually do 5, one every half an hour. If it wasn't a bubbly mixture, almost wobbly, it may be your yeast is off.

I have tried various recipes and the best one takes 3 days. It is very easy though and is from Nicola Lamb's book called Sift. https://www.pressreader.com/uk/country-living-uk/20240601/283725549366790?srsltid=AfmBOorLjFXhuYzFeZOi6Pb6FFwM0n_2aaXWKcBiQYMleSIg1kuWPPhE