Focaccia with Roasted Grapes, Walnuts, Rosemary and Honey

I was ecstatic when the new season of The Great British Bake Off was released.  I anticipate every Friday so I can watch a new episode (as they’re released on Netflix).    The the recent “Bread” episode, there were many delicious sounding focaccias, but the one that Crystelle made with roasted grapes sounded particularly delicious.

I was in a baking mood last weekend so I decided to morph some recipes together and see if I could come up with something similar.

Focaccia with Roasted Grapes, Walnuts, Rosemary and Honey

Inspired by No-Knead Focaccia,   Grape, Rosemary and Walnut Focaccia Bread,  and Roasting Grapes

I was inspired by Crystelle from the Great British Baking Show as well as a colander of grapes on the cabinet.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/8 t. yeast
  • 1 t. honey (plus more for drizzling)
  • 1 1/4 c. warm water
  • 2  c. bread flour
  • 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 T. kosher salt
  • 3 T. olive oil, divided
  • 2 T. butter
  • 1/3 c. roasted grapes (See step 4 below.)
  • Leaves from 2-3 rosemary sprigs
  • 1/4 c. walnuts, chopped
  • sprinkling of sea salt

Instructions

  1. Place the dry yeast, 1 tsp. honey, and lukewarm water in a bowl of a stand mixer and let sit 5 minutes (it should foam or at least get creamy.)
  2. Add  flours and salt and mix with the dough hook until a shaggy dough forms.
  3. Pour in 2 T. olive oil into a dough rising bowl with a lid or a large bowl loosely covered with plastic wrap.  Let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 3–4 hours.
  4. While dough is rising, roast the grapes. Preheat oven to 425F. Clean and dry grapes and remove from stem. Toss grapes in a mild oil like sunflower or grape oil. Spread on a foil lined baking tray. Sprinkle with a bit of fine sea salt. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
  5. Generously butter a 9 x 9″ baking pan then pour 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil into center of pan.
  6. Keeping the dough in the bowl and using a fork in each hand, gather up edges of dough farthest from you and lift up and over into center of bowl. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat process. Do this 2 more times; you want to deflate dough while you form it into a rough ball.
  7. Transfer dough to prepared pan. Pour any oil left in bowl over and turn dough to coat it in oil. Let rise, uncovered, in a dry, warm spot (like a preheating oven) until doubled in size, at least 1½ hours.
  8. Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 450°. To see if the dough is ready, poke it with your finger. It should spring back slowly, leaving a small visible indentation. If it springs back quickly, the dough isn’t ready.  Dimple focaccia all over with your fingers, creating very deep depressions in the dough (reach your fingers all the way to the bottom of the pan).
  9. Press in the roasted grapes, walnuts, and rosemary.   Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake focaccia until puffed and golden brown all over, 20–30 minutes.
  10. Remove from oven and add a drizzle of honey.  Serve.

Yield: 6-8

So, I don’t know if Paul Hollywood would approve but I love the flavor combination that Crystelle delivered.   BTW, while I was searching for inspiration, I found that apparently the first ever GBBO winner, Edd Kimber, has a similar recipe.

This was a great bread to snack on over the weekend and I also enjoyed it for breakfasts.

I wasn’t as inspired by this week’s cake episode however the sticky toffee pudding sounded delicious (but too complicated).

9 comments to Focaccia with Roasted Grapes, Walnuts, Rosemary and Honey

  • One of my favourite Italian classics! Yours looks terrific!

  • mae

    That’s great to actually be inspired by the Great British Baking Show. We love it too and have watched all this year’s episodes so far. I am tempted to make a Pavlova, based on the current episode, though mine would be very plain (if I baked it at all).

    Sticky toffee pudding is a nice dessert as I’ve eaten it in England, and I’ve looked at the recipe in the past, but there are too many separate preparations. I think the recipe they followed on the show was the classic way to do it. Like a lot of seemingly traditional recipes, this one dates back just a few decades.

    best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com

  • Love love love this! I’ve seen focaccia recipes with grapes, and I’m not sure why I’ve never made one. Thanks for the reminder. And I love the addition of walnuts and rosemary!

  • You could be on a show like this! I love your inspired creation. I was fortunate enough to see my first ever episode of British Baking show on the plane home from Omaha. It was great and I’d watch it if I could at home.

    Never would I thought of using grapes, this looks delicious.

  • I love roasted grapes! So. Darn. Good. And this focaccia looks so darn good! Wonderful dish — thanks.

  • Mjskitchen

    I saw this episode and feel in love with this focaccia. It was funny because my husband goes “that doesn’t sound good at all.” I thought it sounded great and apparently the judges did too. I’m thrilled that you posted this recipe! I’ve got to make this. Thanks!

  • this does look good, esp. the roasted grapes. I love GBBO!