Thanksgiving Part III: Harvest Focaccia

This focaccia is a bit more time consuming than other focaccia recipes I've made but oh lordy is it worth it!! The grapes and turbinado sugar ("sugar in the raw" as you may know it) sweeten the salty bread just enough but not too much as to make it a dessert bread. I intended to serve it alongside the meal but we ended up eating a bunch as soon as it came out of the oven; it smelled too good!

Harvest Focaccia
from Food Network

2 1/4-oz packets active dry yeast (1.5 tbsp)
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp turbinado sugar (I didn't end up using all of this, but up to your preferences)
1 tbsp plus 3/4 tsp salt
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 1/4 cup bread flour (note: instead of buying bread flour, I bought vital wheat gluten which you just add to regular flour -- much cheaper! So I did 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour and 4 tsp wheat gluten)
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 cups seedless red grapes
2/3 cups raisins (I used dried cranberries)
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 tsp coriander seeds, cracked
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp black pepper

Stir together 1 3/4 cups warm water, the yeast, olive oil, and 1 tbsp each sugar and salt into your standing mixer bowl fitted with the dough hook (hint: I usually rinse my metal bowl with hot water beforehand to keep the proof mixture warm). Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add both flours (and the wheat gluten if using) and mix on medium speed until smooth but still sticky, about 5 minutes.

Poke the butter pieces into the dough, trying to space them evenly (don't mix). Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour (hint: to quicken rising, turn your oven on low for 1 minute then turn off and place dough inside. Make sure it's not too hot though).

Mix the dough on medium speed until the butter streaks throughout, about 1 minute. Place the grapes and raisins in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave 10 minutes. Set aside to cool, then strain through fine mesh, discarding the liquid.

Brush a rimmed baking sheet with 2 tbsp olive oil. Divide the dough in half and transfer one half to the baking sheet, leaving the other in the bowl. Cover each with plastic wrap and let rise for another 45 minutes. Meanwhile, turn the oven on 450° and place a pizza stone on the lowest rack to heat.

Spread the baking sheet dough out until it covers the pan (I had a little trouble with this but it's OK if it's not perfect). Dimple the dough with your fingertips then scatter 1/2 the grape/raisin mixture over it. Spread the remaining dough on top, stretching it out to cover the bottom half. It's OK if it tears a little. Scatter the walnuts and remaining fruit mixture on top, then dimple the dough with your fingers all over. Cover with parchment paper and let sit for 30 minutes.

Mix the remaining 1/4 sugar (this is where I reduced to about 1/8 cup), the coriander, rosemary, 3/4 tsp salt and black pepper together then sprinkle over the dough. Place the baking sheet on the hot stone and bake 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400° and bake for another 20-30 minutes, until golden but still springy. Remove to a rack to cool before cutting and try not to eat immediately!