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Jalapeno Cheddar Focaccia Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 135 reviews

This Jalapeno Cheddar Focaccia is a flavorful and comforting Italian-style bread infused with spicy jalapenos and sharp aged cheddar cheese. The dough is prepared with all-purpose flour, yeast, and olive oil, then left to rise slowly overnight for enhanced flavor and texture. The focaccia is topped with sliced green onions, jalapenos, and cheddar cheese before baking to golden perfection, offering a deliciously soft interior with a slightly crisp crust and melted cheesy pockets enhanced by the vibrant heat of jalapenos.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough

  • 4 cups All-purpose flour (520 grams, Bread flour can be used)
  • 2 tsp Kosher salt (10 grams)
  • 2 tsp Instant yeast (7 grams)
  • 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil (28 grams)
  • 2 cups Lukewarm water (473 grams)
  • Extra olive oil for drizzling
  • 1 tbsp Butter (for greasing the pan)

Toppings

  • ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil
  • 5 Green onions, chopped
  • 1 cup Aged cheddar, cubed (150 grams)
  • 1–2 Jalapeno peppers, thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. Mix: In a large bowl, combine the flour, kosher salt, instant yeast, extra virgin olive oil, and lukewarm water. Stir with a wooden spoon until all the flour is hydrated and the dough is shaggy but not sloppy.
  2. Rise: Drizzle olive oil over the dough’s surface. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate overnight for at least 18 hours to allow a slow, flavorful rise.
  3. Deflate: Two hours before baking, remove the dough from the refrigerator and uncover it. Gently deflate the dough with your hands and transfer it to a buttered and oiled 9×13-inch baking tray or sheet pan.
  4. Shape: Sprinkle the chopped green onions evenly over the dough, pressing lightly so they stick. Fold the dough ends over one another like a letter, flip it seam-side down, cover with a tea towel, and let it rest for 1.5 to 2 hours until it spreads to cover the pan.
  5. Dimple: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Once the dough has spread, carefully stretch it to the tray’s edges if needed. Drizzle the dough with olive oil and use your fingers to dimple the entire surface, creating valleys and air pockets.
  6. Dress: Nestle the sliced jalapenos and cubed cheddar cheese into the dimples you created, pressing them gently into the dough.
  7. Bake: Place the focaccia into the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted. Optionally sprinkle sea salt over the top before serving.

Notes

  • Refrigerating the dough overnight allows for better flavor development and a chewier texture.
  • You can adjust the number of jalapenos according to your preferred spice level.
  • Bread flour can be used instead of all-purpose flour for a slightly chewier focaccia.
  • For crispier edges, bake on a preheated baking stone if available.
  • Use aged cheddar for the best flavor, but other melty cheeses like fontina or mozzarella can be substituted.

Keywords: Jalapeno cheddar focaccia, spicy focaccia, cheesy bread, homemade focaccia, Italian bread with jalapenos

Find it online: https://tastybella.com/jalapeno-cheddar-focaccia-recipe/