Month: March 2018

Ingredients

6.25 cups bread flour (30 oz. or 850g)
2.25 tsp. active dry yeast (from one ¼-oz. packet)
Pinch of sugar
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for greasing and drizzling
Flaky sea salt

Recipe Preparation

Combine flour and 2.5 cups room-temperature water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix on low speed, scraping down sides and hook as needed to incorporate any dry flour, until a shaggy dough forms. Remove dough hook and cover bowl with plastic. Let sit while you prepare the yeast (you can leave the dough in this state up to 2 hours).

Stir yeast, sugar, and 0.5 cup warm water with a fork in a small bowl to dissolve. Let sit until yeast is foamy, about 5 minutes.

Pour yeast mixture into stand mixer bowl and mix on low speed until dough absorbs all additional water, about 1 minute (pulse mixer on and off a couple of times at very beginning to prevent liquid from splashing over the sides). Add kosher salt and continue to mix, increasing speed to medium, until dough is extremely elastic and very sticky (it will look more like a thick batter and will stick to sides of bowl), about 5 minutes.

Pour 3 Tbsp. oil into a large (preferably glass) bowl and swirl to coat sides. Scrape in dough with a large spatula or flexible bench scraper. Cover and place in a warm spot until dough is doubled in volume, 2–3 hours. If using a glass bowl, it’s helpful to mark the position of the dough at the beginning so you can accurately assess the rise (a dry-erase marker or piece of tape works).

Drizzle 2 Tbsp. oil over a 18×13″ sheet pan and use fingertips to rub all over bottom and sides. Using large spatula or flexible bench scraper, fold dough inside bowl a couple of times to deflate, then scrape onto prepared baking sheet. Using oiled hands, lift up dough and fold over onto itself in half, then rotate baking sheet 90° and fold in half again. Cover dough with a piece of well-oiled plastic and let rest 10 minutes to let gluten relax.

Uncover and go back in with oiled hands, gently stretching dough (to avoid tearing) across length and width of baking sheet in an even layer, working all the way to edges and into corners. If dough starts to spring back, let sit 5–10 minutes and start again. Cover again with same piece of oiled plastic and chill at least 8 hours and up to 24.

Let sheet pan sit in a warm spot until dough is puffed and bubbly and nearly doubled in height, 45–65 minutes (if you’re using a standard half sheet pan, it will have risen to the very top of the sides). Meanwhile, place a rack in center of oven; preheat to 450F/225C.

Remove plastic and drizzle dough generously with more oil. Oil hands again and press fingertips firmly into dough, pushing down all the way to bottom of pan to dimple all over. Sprinkle generously with sea salt.

Bake focaccia until surface is deep golden brown all over, 25–35 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Slide a thin metal spatula underneath focaccia to loosen from sheet pan (it may stick in a couple of places, so use some elbow grease to get underneath) and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely before cutting as desired.

Ingredients

Cake
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup Guinness stout
3/4 cup extra-dark unsweetened cocoa powder
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt

Frosting
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar, divided

Instructions

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350F/175C. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan that is 3 inches deep. You can also line the bottom of the cake pan with parchment paper for extra insurance if you’d like.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the Guinness and bring to a simmer.

Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cocoa. Set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes.

Place the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk to to combine.

Add the cooled cocoa mixture to the egg mixture and whisk until smooth.

Add the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until well-combined.

Pour the batter (it will be quite thin) into the prepared cake pan. The pan will be quite full.

Bake until the cake springs back when pressed in the middle or a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes.

Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and cool on the wire rack for 30 minutes to 1 hour more before frosting.

Make the frosting:
Place the butter in a large bowl. Beat with electric hand mixer on medium speed until lightened in texture and smooth, about 1 minute.

Add the cream cheese and beat on medium speed until homogeneous and light, about 3 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup of the sugar, and beat until incorporated at medium speed. Repeat scraping and beating in the remaining powdered sugar in 3 to 4 more batches. Beat the frosting again on medium speed until smooth and slightly increased in volume, 3 to 5 minutes.

Chocolate Guinness cake should be frosted to look like a pint of stout with foam on top. Pour the frosting on top of the cooled cake and spread it just to the edge of the cake but not over the sides. Slice and serve immediately, if desired, or let sit at room temperature for up to 1 hour before serving.