I’ve always loved making yeasted doughs and I’ve finally gotten the hang of gluten-free yeasted doughs. I’ve found that, mixing your own bread flour (see the notes at the end of the recipe), using psyllium husk and ground chia to replace gluten and adding more water than flour (again see the notes) are all crucial to a great gluten-free yeasted bake.
In this gluten-free focaccia recipe, all these elements come together to make a bake that is tender on the inside with a slightly chewy crust and a gorgeous lofty structure. It’s incredibly satisfying to see this dough double in size (a rarity in GF baking) and then smother it in oil and finish it with deep dimples.
I’ve suggested topping your focaccia with the classic combination of garlic and herbs but you can add whatever you fancy. For extra flavour I also recommend swapping out the extra virgin olive oil for an infused olive all. Basil, garlic and chilli oil will all work beautifully.
Questions about the recipe? Do you want to change something Or did something go wrong with your gluten-free focaccia? I’ve included all the recipe notes at the bottom of the page with the hope of improving your experience here at blue border. If you found this useful, I’d love your support on Instagram, click here to follow.
ingredients
- 10g active dry yeast
- 600g lukewarm water, divided
- 100g tapioca starch
- 100g potato starch
- 50g corn starch
- 125g sorghum flour
- 125g buckwheat flour
- 1 ½ tsp. fine sea salt
- 20g psyllium husk
- 15g ground chia seeds or flax seeds
- 1 tsp. brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
To finish
- ½ tsp. flaky sea salt
- 2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary or thyme, roughly chopped
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
process
In a small bowl combine the yeast and half the water. Mix well to dissolve the yeast and set to one side for 10 minutes. The yeast should froth and bubble in the water but if it doesn’t it will need replacing.
Into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer sift together the tapioca starch, potato starch, corn starch, sorghum flour, buckwheat flour and salt.
In a separate bowl whisk together the remaining water, psyllium husk, ground chia, brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Set this mixture aside until the consistency resembles a thick gel.
Once the psyllium mixture and the yeast are ready, add them both to the bowl of flour. Either use a wooden spoon to mix vigorously, or fit your stand mixer with a dough hook and mix on high speed, for 3 minutes. Once the dough is mixed cover it with a tea towel and leave it in a warm place for 2 hours.
After 2 hours the dough should have doubled in size and is ready to transfer to a baking tray.
Preheat your oven to 200C and place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the bottom of a baking tray (I used a 34cm by 28cm tray). Turn your dough out into the baking tray and gently spread it to the sides so that the dough covers the entire base of the tray. Cover the dough once again and set aside for 20 minutes.
Prepare the garlic and herbs for the toppings while you wait.
To finish the focaccia gently press your fingers into the dough to make a series of evenly spaced dimples. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over the dough and top with a sprinkle flaky salt, garlic and herbs.
Bake for 30minutes, turning the tray halfway through. The dough should be crisp and sound hollow when you tap the top. Allow to fully cool before slicing.
NOTES
Focaccia Questions
How is focaccia different from bread?
Focaccia is a type of Italian bread but it differs from a bread loaf in that it gets baked in a tray with generous amounts of olive oil. Focaccia dough is much wetter than bread dough and before baking, it is dimpled and finished with a variety of toppings. In some ways, focaccia is the middle point between pizza and bread.
How do you eat focaccia?
Focaccia is great eaten as it is with a little olive oil but it can also be eaten like any other kind of bread. Focaccia is delicious with soup, as an open sandwich or toasted with garlic butter and eaten with pasta.
How long does homemade focaccia last?
This focaccia recipe is best eaten within 24hrs of making it. Gluten-free bakes tend to lose their freshness fast and once cut it will start to dry out. I recommend cutting the whole batch up and freezing whatever you can’t eat within a day.
Is focaccia bread hard or soft?
Focaccia should be soft and chewy, similar to ciabatta or a white sourdough. This recipe makes very tender gluten-free focaccia with a slightly chewy crust.
Recipe Questions
That’s a lot of different flours. Do I have to use them all?
The simple answer is yes. You might be tempted to use a pre-mixed GF flour but I wouldn’t recommend it.
I agree, it’s annoying to have to track down five different flours for one recipe but if you’re planning on doing any gluten-free baking, combining your own flour mix is the key to success.
For this recipe, I’ve added 50% starchy flours to get a light airy bake and 50% heavier protein-rich flours for structure.
In the UK I order my flours from Shipton Mill. They have an incredible range of GF flours and you can get them all at once.
Why is the dough so sticky?
Gluten-free doughs need more moisture than wheat doughs. The focaccia dough will feel very sticky at first, but by the end of the proof, a lot of the water would have been absorbed into the flour and the dough will be considerably less sticky. Find more resources for GF baking here.
Why didn’t my dough double in size?
Gluten-free doughs generally don’t rise as much as wheat doughs. This gluten-free focaccia dough should double in size but if it doesn’t don’t panic it may still rise during baking just fine. If it doesn’t rise during baking your yeast may be expired and need replacing.
Ingredients Note
Psyllium Husk
Psyllium husk is a type of dietary fibre. In GF baking psyllium acts as a binder and in this recipe is our lead stand-in for gluten. I see a lot of recipes insist on psyllium husk powder over the psyllium husks but I haven’t noticed a massive difference when switching between the two. For this recipe, either or, should be fine.
Ground Chia Seeds
I grind my own chia seeds with a coffee bean grinder but if this isn’t an option for you, you should have no trouble finding and using ground flax seeds. Ground chia/flaxseed also acts as a binder and in this recipe is acting as our supporting gluten stand-in.
Toppings Suggestions
Herbs and garlic are the classic options for finishing focaccia but have a rummage in your fridge and add whatever you like. Olives, sundried tomatoes and vegan feta, red onion and fresh cherry tomatoes, rosemary and thin slices of cooked potatoes or try generous dollops of pesto and cheese shreds.
