Name: Rosemary focaccia with a sponge
Yield: Two 23 cm rounds
Ingredients: 70.9 g All-purpose flour; 79 ml Water room temperature; 0.75 g Instant yeast approximate; 354.4 g All-purpose flour; 296 ml Water room temperature; 3 g Instant yeast approximate; 10 ml Coarse salt density varies; 5 ml Coarse salt split between pans; 60 ml Extra-virgin olive oil 30 ml per pan; 30 ml Fresh rosemary chopped

America's Test Kitchen · reference variation

Rosemary focaccia with a sponge

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Ingredients

Group	Ingredient	Amount	Preparation
Sponge	All-purpose flour	70.9 g
Sponge	Water	79 ml	room temperature
Sponge	Instant yeast	0.75 g	approximate
Dough	All-purpose flour	354.4 g
Dough	Water	296 ml	room temperature
Dough	Instant yeast	3 g	approximate
Dough	Coarse salt	10 ml	density varies
Pan	Coarse salt	5 ml	split between pans
Pan	Extra-virgin olive oil	60 ml	30 ml per pan
Top	Fresh rosemary	30 ml	chopped

Tools & alternatives

Utensil checklist

Tick the tools you have ready. Choose the recommended tool or its workaround; keep the specified pan size and heat rating.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale with a fine scale for small yeast doses	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts; tiny yeast doses need a fine scale, not a guessed pinch.
Two 23 cm pans	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
Stone	A heavy inverted metal baking tray can work if rated for this heat. Expect a less crisp base; use the recipe’s browning cues.

Timing & recipe details

Time & temperature

Baking temperature: 230°C bake; preheat 260°C
Baking time: 25–30 min

Reduce on loading; rotate halfway.

Makes: Two 23 cm rounds
Heat: 260°C preheat; 230°C bake
Plan for: 10½ h

Method

01 · Sponge
6–24 h
Use: Sponge
Mix; cover.
Ready when: Risen, beginning to fall
01 SpongeMix and cover the sponge; wait until it has risen and begins to fall.
02 · Mix
15 min + 30 min rest
Use: Sponge + dough
Mix except salt; rest. Add salt; mix one minute.
Ready when: Combined
02 MixMix the loose dough, rest it, then work in the salt.
03 · Fold
30 min between; final 30–60 min
Use: Dough
Fold inward eight times; rest. Repeat twice.
Ready when: Nearly doubled
03 FoldFold the wet dough inward without tearing its connected sheet.
04 · Heat
1 h
Use: Oven
Preheat stone; oil and salt pans.
Ready when: Hot
04 HeatPreheat the stone and prepare the two oiled, salted round pans.
05 · Pan
5 min + 10 min
Use: Dough
Halve; round; coat in pan oil. Rest, stretch, fork-prick 25–30 times; add rosemary.
Ready when: Slightly bubbly
05 PanSpread the two portions in their pans, prick with a fork and add rosemary.
06 · Bake
25–30 min
Use: Dough
Load on stone; reduce to 230°C. Rotate halfway.
Ready when: Golden
06 BakeBake both rounds on the stone until golden, rotating as directed.
07 · Cool
30 min
Use: Bread
Rest five minutes; unmould. Brush with pan oil; cool.
Ready when: Set
07 CoolUnmould both rounds, brush with pan oil and cool on a rack.

What to look for

Stage	Look / feel for	Needs attention
Sponge	Falling surface	Unrisen

Troubleshooting

If you see this	Likely cause	What to do now	Next time
Retraction	Tension	Rest 5–10 min	Stretch gently

Hydration is approximate because water is converted from US cups. Measure small ingredients by the listed volumes where a weight is unavailable.

Ingredient choices & substitutions

Ingredient	Specified type	Brand	Status
Flour	All-purpose; brand unspecified	Not specified	specified in recipe
Salt	Coarse; brand unspecified	Not specified	specified in recipe
Yeast	Instant or rapid-rise	Not specified	specified in recipe

Ingredient	Alternative / ratio	Adjust handling	Likely outcome
Coarse salt	Different coarse brandMatch mass, not spoon volume	Source does not identify brand: 10 ml can weigh about 5.3–10.7 g across Diamond Crystal/Morton.	Salt percentage cannot be uniquely verified.
All-purpose flour	Bread flour1:1 by weight	Check dough feel.	Potentially stronger, chewier dough; not a tested substitution in this card.

Match the ingredient’s function and weight. See the flour, gluten, yeast and salt guide.

Source and measurement notes

Water volume converted from US cups; hydration is approximate. Spoon-only minor ingredients remain metric volumes when mass is unverified.

Recipe

Rosemary focaccia with a sponge

The sponge is a small flour, water and yeast mixture that rises before you mix the main dough.

Include step photos when printing

Ingredients

Group	Ingredient	Amount	Preparation
Sponge	All-purpose flour	70.9 g
Sponge	Water	79 ml	room temperature
Sponge	Instant yeast	0.75 g	approximate
Dough	All-purpose flour	354.4 g
Dough	Water	296 ml	room temperature
Dough	Instant yeast	3 g	approximate
Dough	Coarse salt	10 ml	density varies
Pan	Coarse salt	5 ml	split between pans
Pan	Extra-virgin olive oil	60 ml	30 ml per pan
Top	Fresh rosemary	30 ml	chopped

Tools & alternatives

Utensil checklist

Tick the tools you have ready. Choose the recommended tool or its workaround; keep the specified pan size and heat rating.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale with a fine scale for small yeast doses	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts; tiny yeast doses need a fine scale, not a guessed pinch.
Two 23 cm pans	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
Stone	A heavy inverted metal baking tray can work if rated for this heat. Expect a less crisp base; use the recipe’s browning cues.

Timing & recipe details

Makes: Two 23 cm rounds
Heat: 260°C preheat; 230°C bake
Allow: 10½ h

How do I make it?

Start the flour mixture
6–24 h
Mix the flour, water and yeast listed for the sponge, then cover it. This starter mixture is ready when it has risen and is just beginning to sink.
Mix and cover the sponge; wait until it has risen and begins to fall.
Ready when: Risen, beginning to fall
Mix the dough
15 min + 30 min rest
Mix the sponge with the dough flour, water and yeast, keeping the dough salt aside, then let it rest. Add that salt and mix for one minute.
Mix the loose dough, rest it, then work in the salt.
Ready when: Combined
Fold and rest
30 min between; final 30–60 min
Lift the dough’s edges and fold them into the middle eight times, then let it rest. Do two more sets, leaving 30 minutes between sets, then give it a final 30–60 minute rest.
Fold the wet dough inward without tearing its connected sheet.
Ready when: Nearly doubled
Heat the oven and prepare pans
1 h
Heat the oven and stone to 260°C for 1 hour. Divide the pan oil and pan salt between the two pans.
Preheat the stone and prepare the two oiled, salted round pans.
Ready when: Hot
Shape the focaccia
5 min + 10 min
Divide the dough in half, shape each piece into a ball, put one in each pan and turn to coat in the oil. Rest for 5 minutes, stretch it outward, then let it rest for 10 minutes. Prick each piece with a fork 25–30 times and add the rosemary.
Spread the two portions in their pans, prick with a fork and add rosemary.
Ready when: Slightly bubbly
Bake until golden
25–30 min
Put the pans on the hot stone and lower the oven to 230°C. Turn the pans halfway through baking so they brown evenly.
Bake both rounds on the stone until golden, rotating as directed.
Ready when: Golden
Cool the bread
30 min
Leave the bread in the pans for five minutes, then take it out. Brush it with the oil left in the pans and let it cool.
Unmould both rounds, brush with pan oil and cool on a rack.
Ready when: Set

What can go wrong, and how can I fix it?

What you notice	Likely cause	What to do
Retraction	Tension	Rest 5–10 min Stretch gently

Useful recipe notes

Hydration is approximate because water is converted from US cups. Measure small ingredients by the listed volumes where a weight is unavailable.

See the detailed method and ratios in , or follow ingredients through the .

Formula component	Grams	Flour = 100%
All-purpose flour	70.9 g	16.7%
Instant yeast	0.8 g	0.2%
All-purpose flour	354.4 g	83.3%
Instant yeast	3 g	0.7%

Method

01 · Sponge

02 · Mix

03 · Fold

04 · Heat

05 · Pan

06 · Bake

07 · Cool

What to look for

Troubleshooting

How do I make it?

Start the flour mixture

Mix the dough

Fold and rest

Heat the oven and prepare pans

Shape the focaccia

Bake until golden

Cool the bread

What can go wrong, and how can I fix it?

Rosemary focaccia with a sponge at a glance