Mother's Day Gift Idea: Homemade Focaccia Art

Mother's Day is coming up! Looking for something easy, but thoughtful to give this year? Our PlantEd Ambassador Sarah Diekmeyer has you covered with this beautiful Vegan Homemade Focaccia Art!

By Sarah Diekmeyer

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and we know that celebrating this year might look a little different. Since many of us have already picked up baking as a way of creatively passing the time, this is the perfect time to use your skills and show your mom some love by baking her this beautiful focaccia bread!

Not only is this bread fresh, vegan and delicious, but it also doubles as a piece of edible art and is perfect for sharing. This simple recipe adapted with your own personal touch is sure to win the heart of your loved ones.  Here's the best part: you most likely already have most of the ingredients in your pantry!

Ingredients

Bread

• 500g cups of flour

• 2 Tbsp. of salt

• 7g of active dry yeast

• 325ml of warm water

• 2 Tbsp. of olive oil

• Rosemary and Thyme

Decorate

• 4 cherry tomatoes

• 1 shallot

• Fresh herbs of your choice

Note: Feel free to customize this recipe with any veggies as you wish!

Instructions

1. Start by lightly greasing a 10 x 15 inch baking sheet with olive oil and measure out all of the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 

2. Heat up water in the microwave until it is warm. Pour in the yeast and set it aside for 5 to 10 minutes, allowing it time to activate.

3. Prepare a medium sized bowl for your dough by lightly oiling the sides of it and place it aside.

4. In a separate bowl, mix in the flour, salt, and olive oil. Gradually add in the warm water and mix with a wooden spoon until soft, sticky dough is formed.

5. Take the dough out of the bowl and knead it 10-15 times until the texture is elastic. You may need to add extra flour to the surface while you knead so that the dough is not too sticky. You should be able to remove your fingers without having any of it left on your hands.

6. Once your dough is ready, form it into a ball and place it into the oiled bowl from earlier. Make sure to rotate the dough and get the oil on all sides. 

7. Now, it's time to let that baby rise. Cover the dough with a clean dish towel and let it rest for 45 minutes to an hour in a humid location, until the size of the ball doubles. My personal favourite place to leave it is on top of the fridge. In the meantime, prepare your edible decorations and start thinking of your design.

8. Once the dough is ready, remove it from the bowl and knead it 2 to 3 times to get rid of any air bubbles.

9. Flatten it out on the oiled baking sheet into a rectangle or an oval form. Dimple the dough lightly with your fingertips. Cover it with the cloth and let it rise for another 30 minutes. 

10. Now for the best part: decorate your focaccia by gently pressing down the vegetables and sprinkle on the spices!

11. Once you are satisfied with your design, bake at 425 degrees for 19-22 minutes until your bread looks lightly golden. Let it cool in a pan for 15 minutes before serving and enjoy!

Send us your creations or tag us @planted.project. Happy Cooking!

Recipe adapted from Le Bearded Gourmand.