Great British Bake Off Technical Bakes

I'm working my way though the Great British Bake Off Technical Bakes at one per week or so.  Previously I blogged about making Paul Hollywood's Iced Fingers.  If you've baked one of the Great British Bake Off Technical Bakes and blogged about it, please link up the recipe so we can all take a look and show each other some baking support. 

Today for lunch I made:

Paul Hollywood's Focaccia

500g/1lb 2oz strong white bread flour

2 tsp salt

2 sachets dried easy blend yeast

2 Tbsp olive oil

400ml/14fl oz cold water

olive oil, for drizzling

fine sea salt

Place the flour, salt, yeast, olive oil and 300ml/10½fl oz of the water into a large bowl. Gently stir with your hand or a wooden spoon to form a dough then knead the dough in the bowl for five minutes, gradually adding the remaining water.

Stretch the dough by hand in the bowl, tuck the sides into the centre, turn the bowl 80 degrees and repeat the process for about five minutes.

Tip the dough onto an oiled work surface and continue kneading for five more minutes. Return the dough to the bowl, cover and leave to rise until doubled in size.

Line two large baking sheets with greaseproof paper. Tip the dough out of the bowl and divide into two portions. Flatten each portion onto a baking sheet, pushing to the corners, then leave to prove for one hour.

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Drizzle the loaves with oil, sprinkle with fine sea salt then bake in the oven for 20 minutes. When cooked, drizzle with a little more olive oil and serve hot or warm.

I found the recipe a bit fiddly especially adding all the water gradually but watched Paul's Masterclass on BBC iPlayer and after watching it a couple of times found kneading and mixing the dough a bit easier. 

And here's the result:

Ready for the oven



Fresh from the oven



Ready to eat

I wonder what Paul Hollywood would think of it? Decent air holes in it and it tasted rather fab accompanied by some tomato soup for lunch today.

Link up your bakes so we can all take a look!