Print

Homemade Fougasse

Print Recipe

A rustic French flatbread with a crisp golden crust and a tender, slightly chewy crumb, homemade fougasse is perfect served warm with soups or as part of a bread basket.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (130g) bread flour (for biga preferment)
  • 1/8 teaspoon instant or active-dry yeast (for biga preferment)
  • 1/2 cup (120g/ml) room-temperature water (for biga preferment)
  • 1 and 1/2 cups (195g) bread flour (main dough)
  • 1/2 cup (65g) whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon instant or active-dry yeast (for main dough)
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/2 cup (120g/ml) room-temperature water (for main dough)
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) extra-virgin olive oil
  • Optional toppings: flaky sea salt and herbs (rosemary, thyme, or Herbes de Provence)

Instructions

  1. Day 1: Make the biga preferment. In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup (130g) bread flour and 1/8 teaspoon yeast. Add 1/2 cup (120g/ml) room-temperature water and stir until combined. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 8 to 24 hours.
  2. Day 2: Combine dry ingredients for the main dough. In a large bowl, combine 1 and 1/2 cups (195g) bread flour, 1/2 cup (65g) whole wheat flour, 3/4 teaspoon yeast, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to mix evenly.
  3. Add wet ingredients and biga. Add the entire biga, 1/2 cup (120g/ml) room-temperature water, and 2 tablespoons (28g) extra-virgin olive oil to the dry mix. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
  4. Knead until smooth. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 10 minutes by hand. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat.
  5. Bulk rest. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 45 minutes to 2 hours at room temperature until it begins to relax and rise.
  6. Perform stretch-and-folds. Every 20 to 30 minutes during the bulk rest, reach under the dough, pull it up, and fold it over itself, rotating the bowl as you go. Repeat until you have completed four total folds.
  7. Second rest. After the folds, let the dough rest for another 45 minutes to 2 hours until it has relaxed and shows some airy bubbles.
  8. Shape into a triangle. Gently shape the dough into a triangle on a lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes to 2 hours to relax and proof.
  9. Create the leaf pattern. Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, make several cuts in the dough to create the traditional leaf or lattice pattern. Cover and let rest for another 30 minutes to 1 hour until slightly puffed.
  10. Preheat and finish. Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C). Brush the dough generously with olive oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt and herbs if using.
  11. Bake. Bake for about 20 minutes until the fougasse is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Notes

Serve warm for the best texture and aroma. Store cooled fougasse in a paper bag or wrapped loosely in a tea towel at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Nutrition

Keywords: fougasse, French bread, homemade bread, rustic bread, flatbread

Find it online: https://recipehappy.com/homemade-fougasse-recipe/