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CACAO PESTO & CHERRY TOMATO MINI FOCACCIA
Prep Time: 0H30M and 2-3H rising time Cooking Time: 0H15M Serves: 18-20 mini focaccias
These have been one of my staple party foods for years. The cacao adds subtle depth both to the bread and to the pesto.
Ingredients
Bread
- 500g strong white bread flour
- 250 ml water
- 100 ml milk
- 2 tablespoons of sea salt
- 9g dried yeast
- 20ml olive oil
- 25g 100% cacao. Try Peruvian Black, Chulucanas 100% cacao
For the topping
- 200g cherry tomatoes cut into halves
- A few fresh basil leaves as garnish
- 150g cacao pesto
- 75g fresh basil leaves
- 30g parmesan cheese
- 30g pine nuts
- 12g 100% cacao. Try Venezuelan, Carenero 100% cacao
- 40ml olive oil
- Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper
Step by step photographic guide
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Method
- To make the cacao pesto, melt the cacao in the olive oil then put this with the rest of the ingredients in a blender and mix to a rough paste. Check the seasoning.
- Heat the cacao in the milk and half the water until the cacao is melted
- Warm the rest of the water to hand temperature and put in the yeast for about 10 minutes until it starts frothing
- Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl, add the olive oil, salt and yeast and cacao mixtures
- Mix using the dough hook of an electric beater until smooth and elastic. Add more water or flour if necessary to achieve the right consistency.
- Tip the dough into a large bowl that you have greased with olive oil. Pour a little olive oil all around the edge of the dough where it meets the bowl to help it rise. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours until it has doubled in size
- Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, knock it back to its original size and roll the dough into a rectangle about 7mm deep.
- Cover with the pesto and roll it up along its long side.
- Cut the sausage of dough into 15mm high rounds
- Turn the rounds on their side and push 3 cherry tomato halves into the cracks. Don’t worry when the dough rises it will fill in the cracks.
- Leave in a warm place for 1 hour for the dough to rise. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C.
- When risen, lightly drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt if wanted
- Place the breads in the oven and bake for 12–15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
