Recipe: Holiday Focaccia (using candied fruit and almonds)

HOLIDAY FOCACCIA

"Focaccia is a round, flat Italian bread traditionally drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and fresh rosemary. Our sweet focaccia recipe features a light sugar topping and makes a distinctive addition to holiday bread trays. "

1 cup warm water (120 to 130 degrees F)
2 tablespoons oil
3 to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided use
5 tablespoons sugar, divided use
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 cup chopped candied cherries or chopped mixed candied fruit
1/3 cup coarsely chopped almonds
1/4 cup dried currants or raisins
1 tablespoon butter, melted (for brushing top)
Glaze (optional, recipe follows)

In large bowl, combine 1 cup warm water and oil; set aside.

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add 1 1/2 cups flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, yeast, salt, lemon peel and cardamom to the water-oil mixture; beat 2 minutes at medium speed.

By hand, stir in cherries or candied fruit, almonds, currants and 1 1/2 cups flour. If necessary, add 1/4 to 3/4 cup additional flour until dough pulls cleanly away from sides of bowl. Cover with greased plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place (80 to 85 degrees F) until doubled in size, 45 to 60 minutes.

Grease a cookie sheet. Remove dough from bowl; place on greased cookie sheet. Lightly knead to form round ball. With greased hands, stretch and press dough to form 12-inch round. Brush with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Prick dough several times with fork. Cover; let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, 40 to 50 minutes.

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Uncover dough; sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet; place on serving tray. Cool 10 minutes.

If desired, drizzle with glaze and immediately sprinkle with colored sugar(s). Cut into wedges with pizza cutter or serrated knife. Serve warm.

FOR THE GLAZE:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 to 2 teaspoons milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
holiday colored sugars (optional, for sprinkling on top)
Combine powdered sugar, milk and almond extract.

TO MAKE-AHEAD:
Shape the dough on a baking sheet the night before. Cover it with plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight. Let the dough stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking it.

TO KNEAD THE DOUGH IN A BREAD MACHINE:
This dough can be prepared in the bread machine. Reduce the yeast to 1 3/4 teaspoons and follow the manufacturer's directions for loading the ingredients into the machine.

Makes 12 servings
From: Recipelink.com
Source: Recipe booklet: Home for the Holidays, Pillsbury Classic Cookbooks, #225, November 1999

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