Trader Joe's New Focaccia Bread Mix Is Perfect For Thanksgiving
When envisioning your ideal Thanksgiving feast, chances are, you think of items like that perfectly roasted turkey, the stuffing your family makes every year, or even some simple yet decadent sides such as fluffy mashed potatoes. Sure, you might toss some pre-packaged dinner rolls and a stick of butter on the table as well, but those aren't really the first things people reach for, right? Well, if you upgrade your bread accompaniment of choice, they just might. After all, the right bread product can be the perfect thing to soak up that cranberry sauce or delectable gravy remaining on your plate.
You might not be confident enough to whip up a loaf of something like focaccia bread from scratch, but luckily you don't have to — grocery chain Trader Joe's recently came out with a Focaccia Bread Mix that just might deserve a spot on your table (via Instagram). According to a post shared by the Instagram account @traderjoesaficionado — an account known for sharing new or beloved items at the grocery chain — the mix retailed at a California location for just $2.99 and is seasoned with sea salt, oregano, rosemary, red pepper, and thyme.
Fans were excited about the new product, with many commenting on the post. "Ommgggggg, I can't wait to try this," one user wrote, followed by a praise hands emoji. "This looks delicious!!" another added.
How to make the mix
As Trader Joe's shared on Instagram, the mix "comes with (nearly) everything you need to bake up a fluffy, savory, salted & seasoned bread." All you need to add beyond the box contents is 1 cup of water and 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (via @traderjoesaficionado).
However, there are two pieces of kitchen equipment you'll need. The first is a dough hook attachment, which comes with many stand mixers. If you don't have that particular attachment, you can still make this bread, but you'll have to brush up on your kneading skills and invest a little more time in the process. According to KitchenAid, 2 minutes of kneading time by the mixer is equivalent to about 10 to 12 minutes of hand kneading. The Trader Joe's Focaccia Bread Mix calls for 7 minutes of kneading on medium speed, so you'll want to adjust accordingly if doing it by hand.
Then, all that's required is a baking pan (the directions call for 8x8 or 9x9-inch sizes) that you can pour the dough into. From here, you can stretch it out and poke it all over with your fingertips to create those signature focaccia dimples. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with seasoning, and allow the focaccia to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour before baking for 20 to 25 minutes. Simple! The directions state each mix will make 12 servings, so you might want to get multiple boxes if you're feeding a large crowd.