Lunch: Fruit Focaccia

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Cinnamon, Cranberries

Health and fertility benefits of Fruit Focaccia

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060). Researchers believe that cranberries contain substances that prevent infection-causing bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract walls. However, store-bought cranberry juice is typically all sugar - so make sure to stick with straight cranberries.

Ingredients

3/4 cup dried cherries
3/4 cup cranberries
3/4 cup dried currants
3/4 cup golden raisins
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

Place a pot or kettle of at least 4 cups of water on the stove and heat until boiling.
In a large bowl, combine the cherries, cranberries, currants and raisins. Add 4 cups of boiling water and let soak until the fruit is plump, about 10 minutes. Drain the fruit, reserving 2 1/2 cups of the soaking liquid; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, salt and cinnamon. With the mixer on low, add the reserved fruit, reserved soaking liquid and 1/2 cup of the olive oil. Mix until the dough is completely combined but remains tacky, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour 1/2 cup of the olive oil onto a 17-by-12-inch rimmed baking sheet, completely coating the bottom. Place the dough on top of the oil, and with your fingers, spread the dough out as much as possible without ripping it. It may not fill the whole baking sheet at this point. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set in a warm place (at least 70 degrees F) to rest and let rise. Continue to press out the dough every 10 to 15 minutes until it fills the pan. Let the dough rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
When the dough has doubled, drizzle the top with the last 1/2 cup olive oil and sprinkle generously with the sanding sugar. Bake the dough, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking, until the focaccia is golden brown on the top and bottom, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the focaccia from the oven, and immediately slide onto a wire rack to cool slightly. Cut the bread into 3-inch squares, serve warm or at room temperature.
This recipe was provided by a chef, restaurant or culinary professional and may have been scaled down from a bulk recipe. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

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