ANGRY FAUXCACCIA
My Angry Fauxcaccia is essentially beer bread. So, what’s beer bread? Beer bread is a quick bread where sugar and leavening react to the beer’s yeast to produce a loaf that’s tender on the inside and chewy on the outside. It’s a giant biscuit, really, but buttery and tastes like whatever beer you use to make it. For my Angry Fauxcaccia, however, I use Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider; the mild sweetness and yeasty, acidic notes give a more rapturous account. Extra virgin gives added fruitiness, and cutting the baking powder by a third and replacing it with a teaspoon of baking soda lightens the bread’s structure and does away with the metallic taste that happens when using just BP.
PREP/COOK TIME: 55 Minutes
Makes One Loaf
INGREDIENTS
3 Cups – AP Flour
2 Tsp – Baking Powder
1 Tsp – Baking Soda
1 Tb – Granulated Sugar
1 Tsp – Kosher Salt
¼ Cup and 3 Tb – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 (12 Oz) Bottle – Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider
THE NITTY GRITTY
Preheat oven at 375° F. Grease a 9” oven-safe pan with 1 Tb olive oil. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt; whisk to combine. Pour in olive oil followed by hard cider. Using a bowl scraper, fold ingredients together till blended. Transfer dough into pan; spread evenly. Drizzle remaining two tablespoons of olive oil over dough; massage olive oil gently – covering to coat.
TOPPINGS – This time around, I used sliced cherry tomatoes. I use tomatoes (of any kind) more often than any other topping when making this recipe; however, I’ve also done extra sharp cheddar with pickled jalapeños, or Kalamata olives and onion, fresh herbs and even dried herbs. Whichever way you want to top it, is entirely up to you.
Place pan in middle rack of oven. Bake for 40 – 45 minutes; rotating the pan after 20. To check for doneness; fauxcaccia should be gently yielding when pressed in the center and the edges crisp and golden. Let fauxcaccia rest on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Transfer fauxcaccia to cutting board or tray using a wide spatula, or simply flip the pan over onto either lined with parchment paper to catch drop-off from toppings (be sure to loosen sides with a spatula or butter knife before you do.)
Cut using bread knife, or serrated knife, to desired size. Cut lengthwise for sandwiches, spreads, cheeses, etc. and enjoy.
STORAGE – Any unused bread stored-away in an air-tight container or double wrapped with cling film will remain fresh for up to 5 days at room temp or in the fridge. If freezing, double wrap bread with cling film followed by a layer of aluminum foil and keep for up to 2 months. Bring bread back to room temp if frozen or refrigerated. Reheat at 350 ° F – if preferred.
MAY 3, 2020
