Easy No-Knead Rosemary Christmas Focaccia

🛒 Ingredient Notes

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For the Focaccia:

• Yeast (If you’re unsure what kind of yeast to use, you can get a good overview from my Easy Homemade Bread recipe post.)
• Flour (If you have bread flour, you can use that. However, all-purpose flour works very well for focaccia.)
• Olive Oil (Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil.)
• Maldon Salt – or any flaky salt (Don’t run out and buy Maldon salt just for this recipe. Use any kind of flaky salt or sea salt.)

For Decorating:

• Fresh Rosemary Sprigs (Be sure there’s no water on the rosemary.)
• Whole Cherry Tomatoes (Small-ish ones are best.)

Mix the Dough

After 10 minutes the yeast should be bubbly and active.

To the bubbly yeast and water mixture, add the flour and salt. Stir together to form a dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside in a warm place (75 to 78 degrees F) to rise for one hour until doubled in size.

👉 PRO TIP: If the yeast doesn’t appear bubbly and frothy after ten minutes, then one of a couple of things could have happened. Either the water was the wrong temperature (too warm or too cold) or you need new yeast. Yeast is a living organism and it’s important to use it before the expiration date on the packet.

Form the Focaccia

Line an oven-safe skillet or a baking pan with parchment paper.

Spread half of the olive oil over the parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto the parchment paper shaping it roughly into a rectangle. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise for one hour.

Decorate

After the dough has finished rising, drizzle the remaining olive oil on top of the dough and a little onto your hands. Press your fingers into the dough to create dimples over the surface.

Arrange the rosemary sprigs and cherry tomatoes in the shape of a Christmas tree. Sprinkle salt lightly over the surface.

Bake

Bake in a preheated 350F degree oven for 20 minutes.

🍚 How to Store Focaccia

This Festive Christmas Tree Focaccia is best stored at room temperature. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it on your counter, in a bread box, or even in the pantry. Home baked breads don’t last as long as their store-bought counterparts. The focaccia will last for about two days at room temperature.

To prolong the life of the bread, it can be stored in a closed bag in the refrigerator for about five days. It can also be stored well wrapped in the freezer for up to a month. Be sure to wrap it well with plastic wrap followed by foil and then place the wrapped bread in a zip top freezer-safe bag.

🔀 Recipe Tips and Variations

• Be sure to proof the yeast for the full ten minutes to ensure that it’s active in order to get a good rise from the dough.
• For easy clean-up, don’t forget to line your skillet or baking pan with parchment paper.
• If you’d like to add extra “decorations” to your tree, use chopped bell peppers for a dash of color.

💁‍♀️ What To Pair With Festive Christmas Tree Focaccia

• To make a full meal, pair the focaccia with a warm winter soup, such as minestrone or tomato soup.
• To present the focaccia as an appetizer, center it on a large board and fill the surrounding board with a variety of meats and cheeses.
• If you want something sweet to go with this easy no knead focaccia, oven-roasted figs with cinnamon, honey, and gorgonzola are an excellent pairing with the flavors of the bread and its toppings.
• For your holiday cocktail party, pair the Rosemary Christmas Tree Focaccia with a delicious cranberry cocktail.