No Need to Knead Focaccia Muffin Rolls That You Never Knew You Needed

If you’ve ever dreamed of baking fresh bread at home but felt overwhelmed by the thought of kneading, then you are in for a treat. The No-Knead Focaccia Muffin Rolls are here to transform your cooking experience. Inspired by Zoë François’s  Easy Pizza Dough method technique, this recipe allows the dough to work its magic with minimal effort. With just a few simple steps, you can achieve soft, fluffy focaccia rolls that pair perfectly with any dish.

No need for complex equipment; a 6 hole muffin tin, a loose lid on a 5 litre storage container and a sturdy Danish dough whisk are all you need. Let’s get started!

The Magic of using No-Knead Dough for My Focaccia Muffin Rolls

I love the ease of this pizza dough, it's perfect for a busy week and can be whipped up with minimal effort and minimal mess. All of the ingredients go into the bucket and are stir together to combine the ingredients into a dough which comes together very quickly, then it's left to sit on the side with a loose fitting lid to work it's magic. After 2 hours, your dough will have transformed itself and will have risen to the top of the bucket. It's really important that you use a loose fitting lid to prevent gasses building up, nobody wants to be cleaning up exploding dough!

This recipe will leave you with left over dough, but the best of all this dough is that it will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. This means you can whip up pizza or Focaccia Muffin Rolls whenever the craving strikes!

Focaccia Muffin Rolls - The Recipe

Ingredients

- 3 cups (710g) lukewarm water

- 3 tbsp (42g) olive oil, plus more for drizzling

- 2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) active dry or instant yeast

- 1 tbsp sugar

- 8 cups (1kg) strong bread flour

 -1 tbsp flaky salt

 - 6 cloves of garlic, finely minced

  - 1 tbsp flaky salt for topping

  - 1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary

Method

In your 5 litre loose-lidded plastic container, begin by mixing the lukewarm water with olive oil, yeast, salt, and sugar. Once combined, add all of the flour. Use a wooden spoon or a Danish dough whisk mix until fully integrated and you can't see anymore flour. The dough should be sticky but not overly wet.

Cover your bucket with a loose lid, allowing the dough to rise at room temperature for about 2 hours. Expect it to quadruple in size, bubbling with lively air pockets.

When the dough has risen, it's time to shape your muffin rolls. Remove just over half of the dough. Use a bench scraper or a sharp knife to cut the dough into 6 roughly equal pieces. Remember, rustic shapes add charm and keep it feeling homemade.

Avoid overworking the dough. Preserve those delightful air bubbles that will give your focaccia rolls their light and fluffy goodness.

Grab a standard muffin pan and pour 1 teaspoon of olive oil into each cup. This prevents sticking and helps develop a crispy crust. Gently place your dough balls into the oiled muffin cups while trying not to deflate them. It’s all about being gentle here.

Cover your muffin pan with a clean towel and let it rest in a warm area, ideally near your preheating oven. This second rise adds even more fluffiness to your rolls.

 Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).

While they puff up, think about your toppings. I like to use garlic, rosemary & flaky sea salt.

Finely chop the garlic and strip the rosemary leaves from their stems, chopping the leaves finely.

Heat some olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove the oil from heat and carefully stir in the chopped garlic and rosemary. Stir gently to infuse the flavours into the oil.

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Using two fingers, press gently into each dough ball to create dimples. These dimples help the oil and toppings adhere while giving the muffins their classic focaccia look. Now spoon the garlic-rosemary-infused oil generously over each dough ball.

Place the muffin pan in the preheated oven and bake for 14–16 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown on top. If the tops brown too quickly, loosely cover the pan with aluminium foil to prevent overcooking.