Cold-fermented high-hydration focaccia
Overnight Focaccia (Cold-Fermented for Deeper Flavor)
A deeply flavored, wine-scented focaccia with a blistered, open crumb and lacquered oiled crust — the dough does its work overnight in the fridge.
- Total
- 17.5 hr
- Hands-on
- 20 min
- Hydration
- 80%
- Skill
- intermediate
By FocacciaRecipe editorial · Updated 2026-07-05 · In editorial development; independent bake-test pending
The short version
Mix an 80% hydration dough with just 3 g yeast, give it a few folds, then bulk-ferment it in the fridge for 12–18 hours. The next day, pan it, proof at room temperature about 90 minutes, dimple, and bake at 230°C/450°F for about 22 minutes.
Why this works
A cold, slow ferment lets enzymes and a small yeast population develop flavor compounds without over-inflating the dough, so the crumb stays open and the taste turns complex. Chilling also relaxes the gluten, making an 80% hydration dough far easier to handle the next day.
The schedule
~40m hands-on of 17.8h total · overnight
- Mix & fold · 40m
- Bulk ferment · 15h
- Proof · 1.5h
- Bake · 22m
- Cool · 15m
Terracotta is active work; olive is unattended rising; red is the bake.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
Mix (evening)
Combine flour and yeast, add cool water and 15 g oil, then salt. Mix to a wet, shaggy dough.
Look for: Very slack and sticky — an 80% dough pools rather than holds a ball.
- 2
Folds
Over the next 30–40 minutes, do 2–3 sets of stretch-and-folds in the bowl, resting between each.
Look for: The dough gradually smooths, tightens and begins to hold its shape.
- 3
Cold ferment overnight
Cover tightly and refrigerate for 12–18 hours.
Look for: By morning it is risen, domed, and covered in bubbles just under the surface.
- 4
Pan (next day)
Oil the 30×40 cm pan. Tip out the cold dough and gently coax it toward the edges; it may not reach fully yet.
Look for: Cold dough is firm and easy to handle; it will spread more as it warms.
- 5
Warm proof
Let it proof at room temperature until relaxed, puffy, and filling the pan.
Look for: The chill leaves it and a fingertip dent springs back slowly.
- 6
Dimple and bake
Drizzle oil, dimple deeply, scatter flaky salt, then bake at 230°C/450°F until deep gold and blistered.
Look for: Big open bubbles and a dark, crisp base when you lift a corner.
- 7
Cool
Cool on a rack at least 15 minutes.
Look for: The crumb sets and slices cleanly.
What good looks like
- Crumb: Open and blistered with large irregular holes.
- Crust: Deeply crisp fried base; lacquered, crackly top.
- Height: About 2.5–3.5 cm tall.
- Color: Deep, even gold with dark blistered edges.
If something went wrong
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Barely rose overnight | Fridge very cold or too little yeast | Allow the full 18 hours, or give a longer warm proof the next day. |
| Dough sticky and hard to pan | Not warmed enough after the fridge | Let it sit 20–30 minutes to take the chill off before stretching. |
| Sour, alcoholic smell | Over-fermented past 18 hours | Keep to the window; bake sooner if it looks very bubbly and slack. |
Storing & reheating
Storage: Best the day it is baked; wrapped at room temperature up to 2 days.
Freezing: Freeze cooled squares up to 1 month.
Reheating: Refresh in a 200°C/400°F oven 5 minutes.
Contains wheat/gluten.
Tools & ingredients for this focaccia
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Core pantry
- Bread flour (opens Amazon) ↗ — High-protein bread flour or Italian “00” both work.
- Fine sea salt (opens Amazon) ↗ — Fine sea salt for the dough.
- Instant yeast (opens Amazon) ↗ — Instant (or active dry) yeast keeps for months.
- Extra-virgin olive oil (opens Amazon) ↗ — Use a good EVOO you like the taste of.
- Flaky finishing salt (opens Amazon) ↗ — For the crunchy finish.
Required pan & tools
- Light-colored metal baking pan, 33×23 cm (9×13 in) (opens Amazon) ↗ — A light or anodized aluminum pan browns the base evenly; very dark pans can over-brown the bottom before the top is done.
- Straight-sided proofing container with lid (opens Amazon) ↗ — A clear, straight-sided tub makes it easy to judge how far the dough has risen.
You don’t need to buy everything here — many items are already in most kitchens. Fresh produce, cheese and herbs are best bought local and in season.
Frequently asked
- Can I leave it longer than 18 hours?
- It gets progressively more sour and slack; up to about 24 hours can work but handle it gently and expect a tangier loaf.
- Can I bulk-ferment at room temperature instead?
- That becomes a different recipe — see the no-knead version, which relies on a long room-temperature rise.
Keep baking
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Source: https://www.focacciarecipe.com/recipes/overnight-focaccia · © 2026 FocacciaRecipe.com
In editorial development — this recipe has not yet completed physical bake-testing.