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Like many staple foods, bread brings great comfort. And when baked well, it brings significant joy and satisfaction to the person eating. Even more satisfaction to the baker! This is why many European countries take great pride in the breads they make and their artisan bakers. It is also why artisan baking courses or an artisan bakery arts certificate is coveted in the culinary world.
The recipes learned in an advanced baking class are the kind that students can make lucrative careers from. Breads such as brioche, focaccia, croissants, beignets, quiche, bretzels among many. To get you started on whether or not a class like this is right for you, here is a simple focaccia recipe to try at home!
Ingredients:
1 ⅓ cup warm water (43C)
3 ½ cups all purpose flour
¼ ounce active-dry yeast
2 tsp honey
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp flaked sea salt
Instructions:
1. Add the warm water to the bowl of an electric mixer. Pour in the honey and mix to combine.
2. Sprinkle in the yeast and mix. Allow to sit for 10 minutes or until it looks foamy.
3. Putting the mixer on low speed, add flour, salt, and olive oil. Once all the ingredients are in, switch to a medium speed and continue mixing for about five minutes.
4. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and put it in a glass bowl that has been greased with a bit of olive oil. Cover with towel and place it in a warm location. Allow the dough to sit for about 60 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
5. On a large clean surface, sprinkle flour and place the dough on the surface. Shape it into a rectangle, and make sure it is about ½ inch in thickness. Cover it with a greased piece of plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for another 20 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 400F.
7. Transfer the dough to a baking dish, removing the plastic wrap. Using your finger, poke holes in the dough, all the way to the bottom of the dish. Drizzle olive oil all over the top of the dough and sprinkle with sea salt.
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden.
If you are a baking enthusiast, have already taken a baking course in Manila and are considering taking advanced baking classes, then try Enderun Extension’s Artisan Bakery Arts Certificate Program.