Ingredients for the bread decoration

We created this snazzy, art bread using:

  • Baby Tomatoes (the mixed coloured ones would be great for this – Perfect for flower head centers)
  • Spring Onion (for the stalks)
  • Red Chilli (Petals)
  • Jalapenos (Petals)
  • Mushrooms (For growing mushrooms in your garden)
  • Small broccoli stalks (for added garden greenery)
  • Red onion (these gave the beautiful swirls for flower heads)
  • Thinly sliced carrot (for petals)
  • Yellow Pepper (for sunshine and the bee’s body)
  • Rosemary sprigs
  • Baby Spinach (perfect for leaves)
  • Rosemary, oregano and chilli flakes (for the ‘dirt’)
  • Sunflower seeds (for the bee wings)
  • Method
  • Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl. Mix the yeast into one side of the flour, and the fine salt into the other side. Then mix everything together, this initial separation prevents the salt from killing the yeast.
  • Make a well in the middle of the flour and add 2 tbsp oil and 350-400ml lukewarm water, adding it gradually until you have a slightly sticky dough (you may not need all the water). Sprinkle the work surface with flour and tip the dough onto it, scraping around the sides of the bowl. Knead for 5-10 mins until your dough is soft and less sticky. Put the dough into a clean bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for 1 hr until doubled in size.
  • Oil a rectangle, shallow tin. Tip the dough onto the work surface, then stretch it to fill the tin.
  • Now is your chance to decorate. (It’s decorative bread afterall) I started with my herbs ‘dirt’ and worked up from there
  • Cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for another 35-45 mins.
  • Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and pop your decorated focaccia inside once the oven is preheated
  • Mix together 1½ tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp water and the flaky salt and drizzle over the bread
  • Bake for 20 mins until golden. Whilst the bread is still hot, drizzle over 1-2 tbsp olive oil. Cut into squares and serve warm or cold with extra olive oil, if you like.