AIP Focaccia Bread

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This AIP Focaccia Bread recipe is everything you love about traditional focaccia but totally gluten, dairy, egg, soy and nightshade free. This recipe fits the AIP and Paleo diets.

Is active dry yeast AIP?

Dry active yeast is allowed during the elimination stage of the autoimmune protocol. However, always read the ingredients and packaging. You want to make sure that it’s gluten free and doesn’t include any other ingredients.

Is Cassava AIP friendly?

Yes. The cassava root is a tuber and allowed during the elimination phase of the autoimmune protocol. Additionally, cassava flour which is ground and dried cassava root is also allowed. The starch (tapioca starch or flour) that comes from the cassava root is also AIP friendly.

Is cassava flour the same as tapioca flour?

Nope. Like I said earlier, cassava flour is dried and ground cassava root. Tapioca flour is just the starch. It’s less nutrient dense than cassava and cassava flour and reacts differently. It has an amazing stretchy quality that works great in baking and other AIP treats. You can really see how it stretches in my AIP Mozzarella recipe.

Will gluten free dough rise with yeast?

Surprisingly yeast does help gluten free dough rise. This dough only rises slightly. It’s definitely not as much as with a gluten-based dough.

What do you eat focaccia with?

It goes really well with soups or salads like my Instant Pot Chicken Soup and my Mediterranean Salad.

Focaccia Art Ideas

I had a lot of fun creating focaccia art with this recipe. I used enoki mushrooms as the grass, sliced green onions as the flower stem and onions as the flowers. I also used parsley leaves for the flower leaves. But you can use our imagination here and experiment with other herbs, veggies and flowers to come up with your own scene.

How to make the AIP Focaccia Bread

1. Combine 1/4 cup of warm coconut milk (not boiling) with maple syrup in a small bowl. Add yeast and stir. Wait about 5 minutes for the mixture to start foaming and bubbling. (If the yeast doesn’t foam, throw it away and start over.)

2. Meanwhile, combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well with a spatula and form a well in the middle.

3. Add the yam, coconut oil and yeast mixture then stir with a spatula to combine.

4. Then make the gelatin egg by combining the water and gelatin. Whisk until frothy then carefully pour into the bowl. Continue mixing with a spatula until dough is smooth. Then form the dough into a ball.

5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the parchment with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the parchment. Flatten with your hands until the dough is about 1-inch-thick. Cover with a light, clean kitchen towel and let rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.

6. Place the oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the baking sheet in the oven as well.

7. After 30 minutes, uncover the dough, brush the crust with olive oil and add your focaccia toppings.

8. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until the bread is cooked through, crisp on the outside and slightly browned. Let cool slightly before eating.

Tips for making the BEST AIP Focaccia Bread

• I always use yams for this recipe because they have slightly less liquid and sweetness to them. The yams are what keeps the dough flexible and soft. You could substitute the yams with mashed sweet potato or butternut squash although I haven’t tried it yet.
• It’s really important that your yeast isn’t dead. If you add the warm coconut milk and syrup to the yeast and it doesn’t start bubbling within 5 minutes, throw it out and repeat that step.
• Make sure the yeast says gluten free on the packaging.
• Read the ingredients on the yeast. You want to make sure you are buying dry active yeast and that the ingredient are all AIP friendly.
• Don’t use honey as a substitute for the maple syrup. Honey has different properties and could keep the yeast from bubbling.
• I used Malden Salt. It’s a flaked sea salt. It is perfect topping this AIP Bread. You can purchase it online or in most stores.

If you like this AIP bread recipe then you’re going to love these AIP recipes.

• AIP Pizza
• AIP Blueberry Muffins
• Fruit Filled King Cake
• AIP Bread recipes (from Bon Aippetit and other AIP bloggers)
• Gluten Free Flatbread
• AIP Pumpkin Bread
• AIP Zucchini Bread
• AIP Banana Bread

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Helpful Info for All Recipes

• I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise.
• I always use Himalayan sea salt or Celtic sea salt, unless otherwise noted.
• The majority of my recipes are strict AIP or include notations for reintroductions. However while I make every effort to label non-AIP ingredients and recipes sometimes they slip past me. If you have questions, please ask in advance.

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