Don’t understand what’s wrong with my focaccias, puff up nicely in the oven then completely deflate when they come out
Don’t understand what’s wrong with my focaccias, puff up nicely in the oven then completely deflate when they come out
by geckopecko95
38 Comments
ngmcs8203
Is that not raw dough at the top of the slice?
North-Star2443
They’re still raw
Lagoon___Music
Undercooked. Tomatoes maybe too wet, oven maybe not preheated long enough.
triple7freak1

Head_Caterpillar
Yeah the only one you have a cross section of is definitely not finished baking. Try cooking longer, maybe experiment with no toppings until you get it down and then you can see how the various toppings affect bake time
Heymrnoctowl

Her to the raw bread
FIndIt2387
Browned on the top and undercooked in the middle. What temperature are you baking?
Wrong-Junket5973

PowChaser79
Assuming the dough came from the fridge, it looks like it was too cold still before baking. More time needed on the counter.
Fearless_Landscape67
To add to what others said, these are also REALLY heavy on the toppings to me…
my_cat_free-solos
Internal temp should be around 200F plus or minus 10F for focaccia. If you are having trouble estimating if it’s raw or cooked, grab a thermometer and pop in the middle to check.
HalfPintsBrewCo
Are you adding cold toppings right before baking?
The way I learned was to add all the toppings, let rise so the dough comes up between the toppings and “swallows” them. This can take as long as 3 hours even when I was working beside a 600f. oven.
Warm oil & salt goes on right before baking, and its then you pop your fingers down through the dough
Mistrogers
Have you checked your ovens’ temp? Maybe stick a thermometer inside the oven and see if you are actually reaching the right temp?
Otherwise, much like other people said, try less toppings. If you refrigerate it, let it come to room temp.
AffectionateArt4066
What are you cooking it on. A rack, baking steel , stone?
rojosantos32
Par bake them and then finish them after adding toppins midway through
danvis3
Your dough is straight up raw. It will be fully cooked when the internal temp is 190. Super wet toppings like tomatoes are likely not helping by adding more moisture into the equation. Also that is a lot of toppings. Consider adding them later into the bake or cutting down the amount of toppings. Also maybe smaller pieces of tomato. You’re basically putting a wet blanket over your dough that’s weighing down and prolonging the bake.
Dependent_Stop_3121
My gut is saying it’s from all the liquid from the tomatoes. 🍅
SexyProPlayer
Does this happen on all of them or only with toppings? Not sure, but it could be due to “heavy” toppings making them collapse before they set.
mizary1
You could try pre cooking the wet topping. Tomato, onion, even potato, then smash them between some paper towels. Could also experiment with mircowaving the wet topping between paper towels to get some moisture out. You could also put the toppings on towards the end and maybe use the broiler to get some color on them quickly. Might have to lower the temp on the initial bake or cover with foil to avoid getting the bread too done at the end after the broiler.
DueAd197
Toppings on top preventing the top of the dough from baking all the way through. Experiment with less toppings or lower the temperature of the oven
PerpendicularTomato
Cut thicker tomatoes so they don’t burn so fast and the bread can finish cooking
BigHa1rCut
It’s undercooked in the middle but hard to know exactly what’s wrong without you sharing your recipe.
Bm0515
I usually pre bake without topping, and then add the toppings 10 min before the end.
Yorgan_
If I’m making pizza focaccia, I cook for 15 minutes with nothing on the focaccia but oil. Then top it with tomatoes, cheese etc. Then cook it for another 10.
MinervaZee
I learned from Gabriel Bonci’s pizza book to parbake the crust and then add the toppings to finish baking. Made a big difference for me.
justch0
It’s fucking raw
silencioeterno
I think the temperature was too high, i know it because i see dark spots which means that the Maillard reaction is happening to soon.
geckopecko95
Just want to say thank you for all the feedback and to he Gordon Ramsay memes!
Velcrowrath
I would suggest adding the tomatoes and garlic on part way through and letting the tomatoes drain a bit before doing it. I agree with other folks that the bread needs more time in the oven, but those tomatoes are perfect and any longer would maybe ruin them.
lgrace_
It may just be under-fermented, it can make it look raw. How long did you let it rise/did the dough double in size?
Milalee
I recommend making Claire Saffitz focaccia. It’s no fail and delicious.
Envision_This
Try salting your tomatoes on a lined sheet the night before to draw out that extra moisture!
Illustrious-Peak3822
Dead baked in the middle. Do you have a stone bed?
nothingfish
Over proofed.
Schickie
Add fewer wet veggies. Try cold proofing overnight in the fridge, bake at 425 for 10 min then lower it two 375 for another 20, make sure the internal temp is >200.
lloydbluejay

BalancedGuy1
Heavy on the toppings means the bread absorbs all the moisture from the toppings
nothingfish
Over proofed dough affects gluten development. With the added weight of the toppings, you can see how it fell back in on itself.
38 Comments
Is that not raw dough at the top of the slice?
They’re still raw
Undercooked. Tomatoes maybe too wet, oven maybe not preheated long enough.

Yeah the only one you have a cross section of is definitely not finished baking. Try cooking longer, maybe experiment with no toppings until you get it down and then you can see how the various toppings affect bake time

Her to the raw bread
Browned on the top and undercooked in the middle. What temperature are you baking?

Assuming the dough came from the fridge, it looks like it was too cold still before baking. More time needed on the counter.
To add to what others said, these are also REALLY heavy on the toppings to me…
Internal temp should be around 200F plus or minus 10F for focaccia. If you are having trouble estimating if it’s raw or cooked, grab a thermometer and pop in the middle to check.
Are you adding cold toppings right before baking?
The way I learned was to add all the toppings, let rise so the dough comes up between the toppings and “swallows” them. This can take as long as 3 hours even when I was working beside a 600f. oven.
Warm oil & salt goes on right before baking, and its then you pop your fingers down through the dough
Have you checked your ovens’ temp? Maybe stick a thermometer inside the oven and see if you are actually reaching the right temp?
Otherwise, much like other people said, try less toppings. If you refrigerate it, let it come to room temp.
What are you cooking it on. A rack, baking steel , stone?
Par bake them and then finish them after adding toppins midway through
Your dough is straight up raw. It will be fully cooked when the internal temp is 190. Super wet toppings like tomatoes are likely not helping by adding more moisture into the equation. Also that is a lot of toppings. Consider adding them later into the bake or cutting down the amount of toppings. Also maybe smaller pieces of tomato. You’re basically putting a wet blanket over your dough that’s weighing down and prolonging the bake.
My gut is saying it’s from all the liquid from the tomatoes. 🍅
Does this happen on all of them or only with toppings? Not sure, but it could be due to “heavy” toppings making them collapse before they set.
You could try pre cooking the wet topping. Tomato, onion, even potato, then smash them between some paper towels. Could also experiment with mircowaving the wet topping between paper towels to get some moisture out. You could also put the toppings on towards the end and maybe use the broiler to get some color on them quickly. Might have to lower the temp on the initial bake or cover with foil to avoid getting the bread too done at the end after the broiler.
Toppings on top preventing the top of the dough from baking all the way through. Experiment with less toppings or lower the temperature of the oven
Cut thicker tomatoes so they don’t burn so fast and the bread can finish cooking
It’s undercooked in the middle but hard to know exactly what’s wrong without you sharing your recipe.
I usually pre bake without topping, and then add the toppings 10 min before the end.
If I’m making pizza focaccia, I cook for 15 minutes with nothing on the focaccia but oil. Then top it with tomatoes, cheese etc. Then cook it for another 10.
I learned from Gabriel Bonci’s pizza book to parbake the crust and then add the toppings to finish baking. Made a big difference for me.
It’s fucking raw
I think the temperature was too high, i know it because i see dark spots which means that the Maillard reaction is happening to soon.
Just want to say thank you for all the feedback and to he Gordon Ramsay memes!
I would suggest adding the tomatoes and garlic on part way through and letting the tomatoes drain a bit before doing it. I agree with other folks that the bread needs more time in the oven, but those tomatoes are perfect and any longer would maybe ruin them.
It may just be under-fermented, it can make it look raw. How long did you let it rise/did the dough double in size?
I recommend making Claire Saffitz focaccia. It’s no fail and delicious.
Try salting your tomatoes on a lined sheet the night before to draw out that extra moisture!
Dead baked in the middle. Do you have a stone bed?
Over proofed.
Add fewer wet veggies. Try cold proofing overnight in the fridge, bake at 425 for 10 min then lower it two 375 for another 20, make sure the internal temp is >200.

Heavy on the toppings means the bread absorbs all the moisture from the toppings
Over proofed dough affects gluten development. With the added weight of the toppings, you can see how it fell back in on itself.