Carrot Focaccia with Honey and Thyme
Total Time:
3 hours 10 minutes
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This Carrot Focaccia with Honey and Thyme is as beautiful as it is delicious! It’s also a no-knead focaccia that’s super simple to put together!
This recipe has been in the hopper since last winter. I’ve made it many times, trying different toppings and additions but was never completely satisfied with it until recently. Now I’m over-the-moon-happy about this Carrot Focaccia with Honey and Thyme and everyone who’s tried it has fallen in love!
The recipe is nice and straightforward. It’s based on our Ridiculously Easy Focaccia Bread which is… crazy delicious and so easy (10 minutes of hands-on time), it almost makes itself!
Why Carrot?
There are a few differences though that make it Carrot Focaccia. First of all, the water in our original recipe is swapped out for carrot juice which gives the bread a golden glow as well as unique flavor. The fun thing that makes it carrot bread is ribbons of twirly, fresh carrots tucked into the top that roast to a tasty perfection in the oven.
I love that carrots (and carrot juice), in addition to being super flavorful, are a powerhouse of great nutrition. They’re loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support immunity as well as heart, kidney, and liver health. So you see, carrot focaccia is a win-win-win!
Ribbons of carrots
How do you make the „ribbons of carrots” that are swirled into the top of this Carrot Focaccia? Super simple and no expensive equipment is needed! If you have a vegetable peeler, you can do it too!
To make the ribbons, simply lay the carrot down on a flat work surface with the tip facing you. Then, starting at the stem end, start shaving the whimsical ribbons. Two large carrots are perfect for this recipe which yields 2 9-inch round focaccia loaves.
To make the carrots easier to work with and super tasty, toss them with a bit of olive oil and a pinch of seasoning salt. I like to keep things a little lower in sodium so I use Dan-O’s Original All-Purpose Seasoning. It’s significantly lower in sodium than other salts and has delicious flavor.
Minimal hands-on time!
Although this is a recipe that you want to make when you have some spare time at home, the hands-on time is less than 20 minutes and that includes the carrot ribbons. Most of the time the dough is slowly rising and Mr. yeast is the one who is working like crazy. You just get to claim the beautiful results!
How to serve this Carrot Focaccia
Here are a few way we like to serve this delicious bread:
- It makes a delightful dinner bread, served warm with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves.
- We love it for sandwiches. Thinly sliced leftover chicken with a spread of Zhoug is fabulous!
- Cut the focaccia into strips and toast it in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve the crisp toasty strips with soup or salad.
- Use the toasted strips described above for open-face sandwiches with melty cheese.
- Serve it with butter and honey for a heavenly afternoon snack!
However you decide to use this delicious Carrot Focaccia, it will be a sure hit! Be sure to send your family and friends to The Café for the recipe! Happy baking!
Cafe Tips for making this Carrot Focaccia with Honey and Thyme
- This recipe calls for instant yeast, not regular active yeast. Instant yeast does not require activation so it’s super easy to work with.
- I look for large carrots for this recipe. They do not need to be peeled. I prefer using organic carrots.
- This recipe also calls for carrot juice. Carrot juice is available at most larger grocery stores in the produce section. You will also find it in the juice aisle. If you have leftover juice, it freezes well. I like to freeze it in 1¾ cup portions (the amount needed for this recipe). That way I take out one portion, let it thaw and I’m ready to make this delicious Carrot Focaccia!
- You may find you need a little extra water when making the dough for this focaccia. It can change, depending on the moisture environment in your home as well as your flour — some flours are „thirstier” than others and may therefore need more water.
- While we’re talking about mixing the dough, make sure all of the flour is well incorporated and there are not any little pockets of dry flour. I always stir it up until I think it’s well mixed and then stir a little more.
- If your kitchen is a bit chilly, you’ll need to find a warm spot to let your dough rise. Here are some ideas for creating an ideal rising climate:
- Bring a cup of water to a boil inside your microwave. Place the bowl of dough in the steamy microwave covered with a clean kitchen towel.
- Another microwave trick – place the bowl of dough in the microwave and cover it with a clean kitchen towel. Let one end of the towel hang out of the door. Close the door with the towel across the opening. This will cause the light to remain on in the microwave creating a nice warm environment.
- Heat the oven for 2 minutes then turn it off. Turn the light on in the oven to maintain a warm, cozy rising spot.
- If the top of your refrigerator is clear, this is also a nice warm spot for bread dough.
- You can cut this Same-Day Focaccia into long strips (as pictured in this post) or into wedges, which work well for sandwiches.
- Be sure to grease your pan (with butter), line it with parchment paper then add a drizzle of olive oil. This may seem like overkill but the butter adds nice flavor to the crust, the parchment paper keeps it from sticking and the oil gives it amazing crispness.
- Don’t be shy when you „dimple” the dough, just before baking. You want to poke your fingers in all the way to the bottom of the pan and actually make little holes with your fingers. This will ensure nice deep dimples that won’t disappear in the oven.
- Sprinkling water over the dough before baking might sound odd but it creates steam in the oven and keeps the carrots moist while the top of the focaccia gets nice and crisp.
Thought for the day:
Lift up your eyes on high
And see who has created these stars,
The One who leads forth their host by number,
He calls them all by name;
Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power,
Not one of them is missing.
Isaiah 40:26
What we’re listening to for inspiration:
How Great Thou Art
If you enjoy this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.
This Carrot Focaccia with Honey and Thyme is as beautiful as it is delicious! It’s also a no-knead focaccia that’s super simple to put together!
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Ingredients
For the dough:
- 3 ½ cups bread flour
- 2¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 ¾ cups carrot juice, maybe a bit more
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For the carrots:
- 2 large carrots
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon seasoning salt, I use Dano’s low-sodium seasoning (delicious!)
To finish and bake:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
For the dough:
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Place the carrot juice in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high power for 1 minute or until nice and warm (not hot).
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Combine the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
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Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the warm carrot juice and the honey. Stir well, until the dough is shaggy and there is no more dry flour. Add the olive oil and stir until combined. The surface will be a slick with oil.
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Cover the boil tight with plastic wrap or a large plate. Set aside for 30 minutes.
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After 30 minutes, remove the cover and, using either a large spatula or slightly we hands, pick up one side of the dough, stretch it, and then fold it over the dough, tucking it down on the other side. Turn the bowl one-quarter turn and repeat the stretch and fold. Repeat the stretch and fold 3-4 more times, turning the bowl one-quarter each time. (Don’t skip this step! This helps aerate the dough which creates those beautiful artisan air pockets.)
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Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for one hour.
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During the one-hour rise, use a piece of paper toweling and rub 1 teaspoon of butter over the interior of 2 9-inch round baking pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper. Rub ½ teaspoon of butter over the parchment paper in each pan. Drizzle each pan with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Set aside.
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After the one-hour rise, divide the dough into the two prepared pans, flipping once to coat the dough with the oil. Use the same stretching and folding described above to form each ball of dough into a rough circle. Flip the dough so the folded sides are down. Flatten the dough with your hands in the pans. It won’t cover the entire pan at this point but flatten it out as much as you can. Then cover the pans with the plastic wrap or 2 plates. Set aside to rise again for one more hour.
For the carrots:
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During this one-hour rise, prepare the carrots.
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Lay a carrot on your work surface with the pointy flip facing you. Starting at the top (stem end) use a vegetable peeler to thinly shave the first strip of carrot. I usually discard this first strip. Continue to shave the carrot into long strips until you can’t go any further. Discard the remaining scrap of carrot.
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In a medium-size microwave-safe bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and ¼ teaspoon seasoning salt (your favorite). Stir to combine.
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Place one carrot on a work surface with the pointy tip end facing you. Starting at the large stem end, use a vegetable peeler to shave long thin strips of the carrot until you can’t go any further. There will be a scrap of carrot left at the end to eat as a snack or discard. Repeat with the other carrot.
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Place all of the carrot strips in the bowl with the oil mixture and toss with your hand. Microwave the carrots on high power for one minute. Set aside to cool.
To finish and bake:
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When the one-hour rise in the pan is completed, oil your fingers and start at the center of the dough, dimpling and gently pushing it towards one end of the pan. You’re trying to evenly fill the pan to the edge and into the corners. Return to the center and dimple and push the dough out towards the opposite edge. If the dough seems resistant at any point, let it rest for a few minutes then try again. (Don’t be afraid to be aggressive with your dimpling. You need to reach your fingers down to the bottom of the pan. Deep dimpling creates focaccias signature peaks and valleys and prevents the texture from disappearing during the baking time.)
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Once you’ve completed the dimpling, set the pans aside to rise for 30 minutes.
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Add the carrot ribbons to the top of the dough in the pans, tucking them into the dough and arranging them in a decorative pattern.
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With one rack in the center position, preheat the oven to 450F.
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Once the oven reaches 450˚F, drizzle each pan with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and one tablespoon of room temperature tap water. Gently tuck any errant carrots back into the dough.
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Bake for 10 minutes then cover with foil and bake for another 10-12 minutes until the top is a nice golden color. Remove from the oven to a metal cooling rackl for 5 minutes then remove the dough from the pans and continue cooling on the metal rack.
Notes
If you prefer to use Metric measurements there is a button in each of our recipes, right above the word “Instructions”. Just click that button to toggle to grams, milliliters, etc. If you ever come across one of our recipes that doesn’t have the Metric conversion (some of the older recipes may not), feel free to leave a comment and I will add it.
NOTE: After the first rise/fold/stretch this dough can be refrigerated for as long as 12 hours, if needed. Just let the dough come back to room temperature before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 153kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 4gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 314mgPotassium: 129mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 6211IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 0.4mg
