Gluten-Free Focaccia with Rosemary, Olives & Sea Salt

Method

1. Line a 25cm square brownie tin with parchment paper and oil it with good olive oil.

2. Put the yeast, honey and warm water in a small bowl in a warm place for 10–15 minutes, until it froths up.

3. Sift the flour and xanthan gum into a large, wide bowl.

4. Add the salt, eggs, warm milk, yogurt, vinegar and the yeast mixture, mixing well.

5. Put the dough into the lined tin.

6. Wet your fingers with cold water and make a few deep dimples in the dough.

7. Put a damp cloth or piece of muslin over the tin and put it in a warm place to rise for 1–1½ hours, until doubled in size.

8. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5.

9. Gently dot the top of the dough with the stoned olives, then sprinkle on the chopped rosemary and sea salt.

10. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes, until it sounds hollow and light when you tap the base.

11. Drizzle with a little more good olive oil and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.

12. NOTE: I use Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose flour for its nutritional value in this recipe and because it bakes well. However, it has a beany taste that not everyone enjoys. For a less dense, more neutral-tasting loaf, I find that using 275g Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 baking flour and 275g Doves Farm gluten-free plain flour produces a light loaf with a lovely texture. I have also successfully made this recipe with 550g Doves Farm gluten-free plain white flour.