DOUGH

• In a small bowl, combine warm water and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and stir gently. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes foamy
• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture and mix with a spatula or your hands until a dough forms
• Grease a large bowl with room for growth (this dough will rise!), lightly with a little olive oil. Transfer your dough to your bowl – rub a little bit of olive oil on your fingers to help transfer – cover your bowl with a towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature
• After 10 minutes, perform one set of stretch and folds: looking down at your dough in the bowl, imagine it has four sides (like a square versus a circle). Take the top side, gently lift it up, and pull it over the dough down to the bottom side. Rotate your bowl 90 degrees. Now you have a new top side; lift that up, stretch it over down to the new bottom side. Repeat until you’ve done this four times (for all four “sides”). Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Repeat this step again so you’ll have done two sets of stretch and folds. Cover and rest for another 10 minutes
• Lastly, perform one set of coil folds. Again, looking at your dough and imagining four sides, use your pointer and middle fingers of each hand and scoop under the middle of the dough, lifting it gently, and tuck the top side under, towards the middle. Then tuck the bottom side under, towards the middle. Rotate your bowl 90 degrees, and do another coil fold on each top and bottom
• Lightly drizzle the top of your dough with olive oil and gently smooth it over the top – it might be a little sticky, so be careful not to tear it. Cover your bowl airtight with a lid or plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 15-24 hours
• Pour your ¼ cup of olive oil into a 9×13” pan, using your hand to spread up the sides as needed
• Remove your dough from the fridge. If any large bubbles have formed on the top of your dough, pop them with your fingers. Dip your fingers into the oil in your pan to lightly grease them before gently transferring your dough from the bowl to the baking pan. Fold your dough like an envelope (right side a third of the way in, left side over right), flip and turn your dough so the seam side is down and the longest direction is running along the longest part of the pan. Cover and let rest for one hour at room temperature
• Pull the dough gently to fit the rectangular shape of the pan. Don’t force this; if it’s not pulling, let it rest for 10 minutes and try again. Set aside uncovered at room temperature for an additional 60-90 minutes to finish rising. It will be puffed and jiggly when you gently shake the pan
• Preheat oven to 425°F
• Drizzle your dough with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and use your finger to press deep into the dough, making those traditional focaccia dimples. Then, sprinkle flaky sea salt lightly across the top of your dough
• Bake for 20-25 minutes on the lowest rack in your oven until golden brown. You can insert a digital thermometer into the center of your bread to check for doneness; it should have an internal temperature of 190°F when ready. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack to cool for 15-20 minutes

STRAWBERRY JAM + CREAM CHEESE GLAZE

• For the jam, combine your strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a pot and place over medium-low heat, stirring regularly. Once the mixture starts to boil, monitor the temperature with a digital thermometer, checking until it reaches 221°F. Immediately remove from the heat and pour into a heat-safe bowl. Allow it to cool to room temperature before placing it in a piping bag. Place in the fridge while your dough bakes
• To make the cream cheese glaze, add your room-temperature cream cheese to a bowl and sift your powdered sugar over it. Use the back of a spoon to spread together the sugar and cream cheese until combined. Whisk in your milk and vanilla until smooth

ASSEMBLY

• Use a steak knife to poke small “holes” into the focaccia every inch or so. Insert the tip of your piping bag filled with strawberry jam and squeeze just until the jam fills the hole, repeating until all holes are filled. Then, pour your cream cheese glaze over your focaccia and spread with a spatula. Allow to set for at least 15 minutes
• Cut your focaccia into squares and enjoy!