Ohhhh this is a power combo 😮🔥—crispy, fluffy focaccia soaked with spicy garlic confit butter is absolutely unhinged in the best way.
Here’s a show-stopper focaccia that’s still very doable at home.
🌶️🧄 Spicy Garlic Confit Butter Focaccia
Garlic Confit Butter (make first)
Ingredients
- 2 heads garlic, cloves peeled
- 1 cup olive oil (enough to fully submerge garlic)
- ½–1 tsp red pepper flakes (to taste)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp chili oil or chili crisp (optional but 🔥)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Add garlic and olive oil to a small saucepan.
- Cook on very low heat for 40–50 minutes until garlic is soft and lightly golden (never bubbling).
- Cool slightly, then mash garlic into a paste.
- Mix garlic paste with butter, chili flakes, paprika, chili oil, and salt.
→ You want it spreadable and spicy, not overwhelming.
Focaccia Dough
Ingredients
- 2¼ tsp instant yeast (1 packet)
- 2 cups warm water
- 4½ cups bread flour
- 2 tsp salt
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
1. Make the dough
- Mix water + yeast.
- Stir in flour, salt, and olive oil until shaggy.
- Rest 10 minutes, then stretch & fold a few times.
- Cover and let rise 1½–2 hours, until doubled.
2. Pan & second rise
- Generously oil a 9×13 pan.
- Transfer dough, gently stretching to fit.
- Cover and rise 45–60 minutes until puffy.
3. Dimple + butter it up
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Press deep dimples all over the dough.
- Spread ½–⅔ of the garlic confit butter over the surface, letting it pool in the dimples.
- Sprinkle flaky salt (and extra chili flakes if you’re bold).
4. Bake
- Bake 22–26 minutes until deeply golden and crisp-edged.
5. Finish like a legend
- As soon as it comes out, spread remaining spicy garlic butter over the hot bread.
- Optional: fresh rosemary, parsley, or parmesan.
🔥 Pro Tips
- Want extra crunch? Finish under the broiler for 1–2 minutes.
- Want softer center? Lower oven to 400°F and bake a few minutes longer.
- This focaccia makes an elite sandwich base (mortadella, burrata, roasted veg).
If you want a sourdough version, chili crisp overload, or a stuffed focaccia twist… I am very ready 😏
