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Homemade Fougasse

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Rustic, leaf-shaped French flatbread with a crisp crust and tender crumb, enriched with olive oil and whole wheat for a subtle, nutty flavor.

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 (for 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 dough)
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for finishing)
  • Optional toppings: flaky sea salt, herbs (such as rosemary, thyme, or Herbes de Provence)

Instructions

  1. Make the biga preferment. In a medium bowl whisk together 1 cup bread flour and 1/8 teaspoon yeast until evenly distributed. Add 1/2 cup room-temperature water and stir until it forms a thick, sticky mass. Cover the bowl and let the biga rest at room temperature for 8 to 24 hours.
  2. Combine dry ingredients for the main dough. On day 2, in a large bowl stir together 1 and 1/2 cups bread flour, 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, 3/4 teaspoon yeast, and 1 teaspoon salt until evenly mixed.
  3. Add wet ingredients to the dry mix. Add the ripe biga, 1/2 cup room-temperature water, and 2 tablespoons olive oil to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix with a spoon or your hand until a shaggy dough forms.
  4. Knead until smooth. Turn the shaggy dough out onto a lightly oiled surface and knead for about 6 to 8 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and slightly elastic.
  5. First rest. Lightly oil a clean bowl, place the dough inside, cover, and let it rest for 45 minutes to 2 hours at room temperature.
  6. Perform stretch-and-folds. Over the next period perform a total of 4 stretch-and-folds, doing one every 45 minutes.
  7. Shape and bench rest. After the final fold allow the dough to relax briefly, then shape it into an oval or triangle on a well-floured surface. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
  8. Create the leaf cuts. On a lightly floured surface, transfer the rested dough to a baking sheet. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, make leaf-shaped cuts.
  9. Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C).
  10. Final finish and bake. Brush the shaped and cut dough generously with olive oil and sprinkle optional flaky sea salt or herbs. Bake for about 20 minutes.
  11. Finish. Remove the fougasse from the oven and brush again with olive oil if desired. Let rest on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Use room-temperature water for consistent fermentation. Store leftover fougasse in a paper bag at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Nutrition

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

Find it online: https://saveurmagique.com/homemade-fougasse/