Caramelized Onion & Garlic Cast Iron Focaccia with Honey Paprika Butter
Dive into the delightful world of our Caramelized Onion & Garlic Cast Iron Focaccia, where golden, crispy edges meet a pillowy soft interior. Infused with the sweet richness of caramelized onions and the aromatic kick of garlic, this focaccia is elevated by a luscious honey paprika butter that adds a perfect finishing touch. Get ready to impress your taste buds and elevate your bread game!
Prep
15
min
Cook
45
min
Serves
12
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 12🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- Flaky salt, balsamic glaze & chopped parsley to finishoptional
- 15 garlic cloves, chopped
- 3 large onions, sliced
- Salt, Pepper & paprika
- 640 g water (22.6 oz)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- Softened unsalted butter
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 800 g bread flour (6.4 cup)
- 2 tsp honey (10 ml)
- Honey
- 2 tbsp olive oil (30 ml)
- 2 tsp instant yeast (10 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- Generous handful fresh rosemary
- 2 tsp fine salt (10 ml)
- Salt & pepper
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (30 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
309
Protein
9g
Carbs
56g
Fat
5g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix water, yeast & honey. Add flour, salt & dough oil; stir until combined. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
- 2
With wet hands, stretch and fold dough inward from all four sides. Do 4 sets, resting 30 minutes between each. Cover and refrigerate 12–24 hours.
- 3
Oil the skillet’s bottom and sides. Add dough, gently stretch toward edges, cover and let rise 2–4 hours at room temperature until puffy and jiggly.
- 4
Cook onions in 2 tbsp olive oil with a pinch of salt over medium-low for 40–60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water if needed. Once deeply golden, add balsamic & garlic together; sauté 2–3 minutes. Season with pepper and cool.
- 5
Drizzle dough with oil and dimple with oiled fingers. Add rosemary, then distribute onions & garlic over the dough, gently pressing into dimples.
- 6
Bake at 400°F for 35–45 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Thicker bread may need longer; tent with foil if toppings brown too quickly.
- 7
Finish with flaky salt, balsamic glaze & parsley. Rest 5–10 minutes, transfer to a rack, then cool another 15–20 minutes before slicing.
- 8
Mix butter ingredients and serve with warm focaccia.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Caramelize onions at 300°F (medium-low heat, ~150°C) for 45-60 minutes rather than high heat because the Maillard reaction requires sustained low temperatures to develop complex flavor compounds without burning the exterior.technique300°F|45-60 minutes|Maillard reaction optimization
- ✓Add balsamic vinegar and garlic only in the final 2-3 minutes of onion cooking because garlic's volatile sulfur compounds vaporize above 140°C, and acetic acid in vinegar will evaporate if heated longer, losing their signature brightness.timing2-3 minutes|140°C threshold
- ✓Use a 80% hydration dough (640g water to 800g flour) and perform stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes for 2 hours because this develops gluten strength gradually without intensive kneading, creating an open crumb structure with 15-20% larger gas pockets.ingredient80% hydration|4 stretch-folds @ 30-min intervals
- ✓Dimple the dough 15-20 minutes before topping (during final rise) rather than immediately after shaping because partially developed gluten has enough elasticity to hold dimples without deflating, but enough extensibility to accept toppings without tearing.timing15-20 minutes before topping
- ✓Bake at 400°F for 35-45 minutes and tent with foil if toppings reach deep golden brown before the bread's internal temperature hits 205-210°F, because the crust gelatinizes at 140°C while the crumb needs 90-95°C for starch gelatinization.technique400°F|205-210°F internal|tent when needed
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
45
min
Serves
12
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Caramelized Onion & Garlic Cast Iron Focaccia with Honey Paprika Butter
Dive into the delightful world of our Caramelized Onion & Garlic Cast Iron Focaccia, where golden, crispy edges meet a pillowy soft interior. Infused with the sweet richness of caramelized onions and the aromatic kick of garlic, this focaccia is elevated by a luscious honey paprika butter that adds a perfect finishing touch. Get ready to impress your taste buds and elevate your bread game!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 12🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- Flaky salt, balsamic glaze & chopped parsley to finishoptional
- 15 garlic cloves, chopped
- 3 large onions, sliced
- Salt, Pepper & paprika
- 640 g water (22.6 oz)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- Softened unsalted butter
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 800 g bread flour (6.4 cup)
- 2 tsp honey (10 ml)
- Honey
- 2 tbsp olive oil (30 ml)
- 2 tsp instant yeast (10 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- Generous handful fresh rosemary
- 2 tsp fine salt (10 ml)
- Salt & pepper
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (30 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
309
Protein
9g
Carbs
56g
Fat
5g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix water, yeast & honey. Add flour, salt & dough oil; stir until combined. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
- 2
With wet hands, stretch and fold dough inward from all four sides. Do 4 sets, resting 30 minutes between each. Cover and refrigerate 12–24 hours.
- 3
Oil the skillet’s bottom and sides. Add dough, gently stretch toward edges, cover and let rise 2–4 hours at room temperature until puffy and jiggly.
- 4
Cook onions in 2 tbsp olive oil with a pinch of salt over medium-low for 40–60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water if needed. Once deeply golden, add balsamic & garlic together; sauté 2–3 minutes. Season with pepper and cool.
- 5
Drizzle dough with oil and dimple with oiled fingers. Add rosemary, then distribute onions & garlic over the dough, gently pressing into dimples.
- 6
Bake at 400°F for 35–45 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Thicker bread may need longer; tent with foil if toppings brown too quickly.
- 7
Finish with flaky salt, balsamic glaze & parsley. Rest 5–10 minutes, transfer to a rack, then cool another 15–20 minutes before slicing.
- 8
Mix butter ingredients and serve with warm focaccia.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Caramelize onions at 300°F (medium-low heat, ~150°C) for 45-60 minutes rather than high heat because the Maillard reaction requires sustained low temperatures to develop complex flavor compounds without burning the exterior.technique300°F|45-60 minutes|Maillard reaction optimization
- ✓Add balsamic vinegar and garlic only in the final 2-3 minutes of onion cooking because garlic's volatile sulfur compounds vaporize above 140°C, and acetic acid in vinegar will evaporate if heated longer, losing their signature brightness.timing2-3 minutes|140°C threshold
- ✓Use a 80% hydration dough (640g water to 800g flour) and perform stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes for 2 hours because this develops gluten strength gradually without intensive kneading, creating an open crumb structure with 15-20% larger gas pockets.ingredient80% hydration|4 stretch-folds @ 30-min intervals
- ✓Dimple the dough 15-20 minutes before topping (during final rise) rather than immediately after shaping because partially developed gluten has enough elasticity to hold dimples without deflating, but enough extensibility to accept toppings without tearing.timing15-20 minutes before topping
- ✓Bake at 400°F for 35-45 minutes and tent with foil if toppings reach deep golden brown before the bread's internal temperature hits 205-210°F, because the crust gelatinizes at 140°C while the crumb needs 90-95°C for starch gelatinization.technique400°F|205-210°F internal|tent when needed