Mini Focaccia Muffins Made for 4pm Hunger Pangs

It can't be just me that gets them?

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I grew up in a household that made its own bread (it was the 1980s when flour was cheaper than supermarket loaves) but made it terribly.

It was only once I became utterly fascinated with fermentation through my wine profession — and learned how it works — that I realized why the bread was so bad.

Low hydration.

Even to this day, my mother makes 50% hydration loaves which means half the volume of water to flour. There’s no room for the yeast to grow or the gluten to develop. It’s all so… heavy.

And it’s why most sourdough recipes will specify around 70%+ hydration.

Back at my mother’s home a few weeks back, I played about with a 100% hydration focaccia-style bread. 600g flour, 600ml water.

My poor mother nearly had a heart attack.

Whilst I was trying to stretch and fold the damn stuff (which is like trying to knead glue), she was over my shoulder saying again and again:

Did you make a mistake with your ratios?

Mum, even though I wasn’t prepared to admit it at that point, I was worried too.

Until the thing came out of the oven.

It was the most freaking delicious, chewy bread. Despite her initial doubts, my mother agreed. She and I bent over the counter, pat of butter to one side for easy access, tearing off chunks until there was nothing left for anyone else.

High hydration is where it’s at.

This week, I wanted to make some portable, fit-in-hand-sized breads that would satisfy my regular-as-clockwork 4pm hunger pangs.

Enter the mini focaccia muffin.

It's all pretty simple. Make a 75% hydration dough, heavy on the oil. Stretch and fold, prove, stick in a muffin tin, prove again, dimple, cook, eat. It takes about 3-4 hours overall, but most of that is proving time.

Although the dough recipe isn’t especially adaptable, the toppings absolutely are. You could use:

• Rosemary and sea salt

• Cherry tomato

• Fresh oregano

• Chilli flakes

• Olives

• Jalapeños

Or whatever else you feel like stuffing onto bread and into your mouth.

Makes 10

• 300g strong white bread flour

• 210ml lukewarm water

• 3g dried yeast

• 6g sea salt

• 15ml olive oil

Mix the water, yeast, and olive oil in a jug. Leave to activate for around 4-5 minutes.

Add to the flour and salt. Mix. Leave for 15 minutes.

Wet your hand (it will help to stop the dough from sticking to you) and start to “stretch and fold.” Grab underneath the shaggy dough, pull it up and over itself. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. Do this until you have done two turns of the bowl (8 stretch and folds).

Rest for 15 minutes.

Stretch and fold three more times with 15-minute intervals — an hour in all. You’ll notice that the dough will start to become smoother, stretchier, and much easier to handle every time.

Cover the bowl and leave to prove for around 1-2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.

Flour your work surface and gently prize the dough out of the bowl. Carefully cut into 10 equal pieces being careful to not to flatten the dough too much. Curl each piece into a small ball and place them into an oiled muffin tin.

Leave to prove for another hour until again each muffin has doubled in size.

Pour a little olive oil over each muffin and carefully dimple with your fingers. Place on any toppings. Sprinkle each one with sea salt.

Cook in a pre-heated 230C/480F oven for around 15 minutes or until golden.

This morning’s breakfast. Focaccia muffin with scrambled eggs and Szechuan chili oil

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