Name: Apple Rosemary Focaccia Bread Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 1/3 cup warm water ((110 degrees F) ); 2 tsp sugar; 2.5 tsp instant yeast; 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling); 2 medium JAZZ™ apples (sliced thinly); 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (chopped if desired); 2 tbsp honey; 2 tsp flaky salt

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This Apple Rosemary Focaccia bread recipe is surprising quick and easy to make. It’s baked in a cast iron skillet for the ultimate rustic bread.

This is a sponsored post for JAZZ™ Apples. All opinions are my own. Thanks to all the companies, and readers, who help support Cravings of a Lunatic.

I’m a sucker for a good bread recipe. What I really love about this Apple Rosemary Focaccia bread is that you get the best of both worlds. It’s both sweet and savoury.

Personally, I really dig a good sweet and salty recipe. The combination of flavours play so well together and it’s basically a flavour explosion in every single bite.

If you’re a regular reader you know I’m obsessed with apples. I’m always baking with them. But I wanted people to know you can do other things with them besides dessert.

So, I took my favourite bread recipe and piled apples on top of them. It’s incredibly simple but you would never know that by looking at it. This recipe looks impressive and difficult to make but it’s really not.

For this recipe, I used JAZZ™ apples. They are great as a snack and each bite into them delivers a crunchy, tangy-sweet taste. They are always refreshing and I’m completely in love with munching on them midday right now.

What’s really cool about these apples is they can also be used in a multitude of other ways, other than snacking. You can baking with them, cook with them, toss them in salads, make drinks with them, or even used them slaws or salsa.

I can’t recommend these apples enough. You can locate them at a lot of retailers, including Walmart, Loblaws, Sobeys and Costco.

Check out their JAZZ™ apple website to learn more about them. You can also find them on Instagram and Facebook.

What is Focaccia Bread:

Focaccia is a flat Italian bread that is baked in the oven. The texture is similar to pizza but focaccia is known for looking like it has dimples pressed into it. You can serve focaccia as a side dish or snack. A lot of people use focaccia as a sandwich bread.

How to Pronounce Focaccia:

You pronounce it “fuh-KA-cha”.

Ingredients Needed:

Water- Use a thermometer to ensure the water is at the right temperature. You want it to be about 110 degrees F.
Sugar- This recipe uses granulated sugar. It’s used to help make sure the yeast is good since it can go bad easily.
Yeast- For this particular recipe, I used instant yeast so the bread would be ready quicker than a traditional focaccia.
Flour- I used all purpose flour for this bread. You can use bread flour if you like.
Salt- There are two kinds used in this recipe. I used kosher salt for the dough recipe. Then, I used a nice flaky salt for finishing the bread.
Oil- Extra virgin olive oil is the way to go here. You will be using the bulk of it to make the dough. Then you will use a smaller amount to drizzle over top before baking.
Apples- I used JAZZ™ apples for this recipe. I recommend leaving the skin on. It looks beautiful once baked.
Rosemary- Fresh rosemary is the best option but if you don’t have fresh you can use dried.
Honey- Drizzle the honey on the bread halfway through baking it. You can also drizzle a bit more once the bread is baked.

How to Make Apple Rosemary Focaccia Bread:

First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Next, use your stand mixer to prep the yeast mixture. Combine the warm water and sugar, stir. Then, sprinkle the yeast over top. Stir again. Let it rest for about 5 to 10 minutes. The yeast mixture should look foamy when it’s done.
Then, attach the dough hook attachment to the stand mixer. Add the flour and kosher salt to the mixer slowly. Mix on low speed until combined. Then, add the olive oil and mix on slow first, then increase to medium-low speed for 3 to 5 minutes.
Spray a mixing bowl with non-stick spray or wipe the inside with oil. Then remove the dough from the mixer and shape into a ball. Place the dough in prepared mixing bowl. Cover with a towel and place the bowl in a warm spot in your kitchen. Let it rise for about 45 minutes, or until it doubles in size.
Next, wipe the inside of a cast iron pan with oil. Place the dough in the pan and spread out so it reached the edges. Cover again and allow it to rise for about 15 minutes.
Then, uncover the pan and begin poking dimples in the bread with your fingertips. Press really deeply. Make as many or as little indents as you like.
Drizzle half of the olive oil over top of the dough. Then, place the sliced apples over top. You want the slices as thin as possible. You can use one or two apples, depending on your personal taste. Pour the remaining oil over top of the apples. Then toss the rosemary over it.
Next, place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake for about 10 minutes, then remove bread to drizzle the honey over top. Place the bread back in the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. The bread should be golden brown when finished.
Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle with flaky salt.
You can drizzle more honey or oil over top, if desired.
Lastly, slice the focaccia and serve while it’s still warm.

How to Store:

Always be sure to allow the focaccia to cool before storing it.
Honestly, focaccia is always best the day it’s made. That said, you can store it if you need to.
This focaccia does is topped with cheese it can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. Place it in an air-tight container first, or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap.
It can also store this recipe in the fridge. Place it an air-tight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Then, store in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
Storing in the freezer is also an option. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in air-tight container for extra protection. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How to Defrost Focaccia:

If you’re like me, you love freezing leftover bread. Focaccia can be frozen just like any other bread.
They key to not having soggy bread is to always defrost your focaccia at room temperature.
I do not recommend defrosting it in the microwave. It’s just not the best way to handle defrosting bread.

How to Reheat:

Once you have defrosted your bread it’s time to reheat it. Focaccia reheats really well if done right.
I do not recommend reheating it in the microwave. It gets soggy and just doesn’t work very well. Take the time to do it right in the oven.
Personally, I recommend reheating it in a cast iron pan or on a baking sheet. A pizza stone will work as well.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F first. Don’t put the bread in the oven before the oven is completely preheated.
You can drizzle extra virgin olive oil or honey on it prior to reheating, if desired.
Once the oven is preheated, place the focaccia in it and bake for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Depending on the thickness of your bread, you may need to increase the time a bit.
Some people like higher heat but since you’ve already cooked the focaccia you are just warming it up, not cooking it again. It’s better to go lower temperature for reheating.

More Great Apple Recipes:

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overhead image of apple rosemary focaccia in a black cast iron pan on a white napkin

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