h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Paul I made my second focaccia yesterday. It was better than the first one, but still not great. I'd be very grateful if you could take a look at the thread http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbfood/F2670471?thread=6741567 and make any suggestions. Is it too 'dense' due to insufficient kneading? And is the dough always so very sticky? I added some extra water, barely more than about 50mls. Thanks in anticipation, Geoff

Hi Geoff

Really glad your bread was a success today! It's a great feeling, isn't it?

I've just got a couple of suggestions for you, and thought I'd do it on here, rather than the general thread - hope you don't mind.

I just thought it could have done with a bit longer in the oven, since it was a bit on the pale side - certainly compared to your earlier loaf, which had a lovely deep colour to it.

There's another clue, I think, in that you can see a little olive oil in two of the holes - or maybe I'm imagining things. It's just that all the oil should disappear.

(On the other hand, I haven't made a focaccia with white flour for several years, so I may be talking through my hat!)

On the general subject of making sure a focaccia is baked thoroughly; I often find that while the loaf is cooked on top, underneath there is a patch in the middle which is a little pale compared to the outside. Then it's simply a matter of turning the loaf over in the oven for a couple of minutes until it's coloured right across.

Just reminded myself when you started making bread - it was only last week you were asking about scales, so look how far you've come!

Careful, though, it's addictive!

Cheers, Paul

Hi Paul

Thanks for the reply. Yes, it was a little underdone and I should have put it back, but I was too disconcerted by the stuck-to-the-paper problem. But it was much feted at the bbq, which was lovely of course.

It's a fan oven that sometimes seems to have so much a mind of it's own about temperatures that I wondering whether to buy a thermometer. The second bread was rather overdone, so I gave the third one 5 mins less.

I do wonder if inclusion of wholemeal flour makes a fundamentally different dough. The all-white dough was far stickier, so much so that I couldn't roll it; even floured it stuck to the wooden pin. I just pulled it into shape on the paper.

Your various posts have certainly inspired me to get started and I'm probably already addicted! So I'm grateful that you've got me started. Hopefully, now, the only way is up!!

Geoff.