Gunavel Bakery Inc.

Focaccia: The Slice-and-Serve Workhorse

Aug 10, 2025

Why focaccia wins on wheels

Tray-baked, forgiving, and wildly versatile, focaccia sells as slices, sandwiches, or soup sides. It holds heat, reheats cleanly, and bakes perfectly in a standard trailer convection oven.

focaccia bread

Ideal trailer setup

  • Gear: 20–30 qt mixer, full-sheet pans (18×26 in) or half-sheet pans, parchment, dough boxes, speed rack, oil brush/bottle.
  • Power: 208/240 V convection oven; target 220–230 °C / 425–450 °F.
  • Flow: Mix → rest/folds → pan → proof → dimple & top → bake → rack → slice/box.

Trailer-friendly recipe (80% hydration, same-day or overnight)

Yields: Home (1 half-sheet tray ≈ 20 slices) • Trailer (6 full-sheet trays ≈ 80 slices/tray = 480 slices)

Dough – home (half-sheet)

  • 625 g bread flour
  • 500 g water (room temp)
  • 12 g fine salt
  • 4 g instant yeast
  • 30 g olive oil (plus extra for pans)


Method (home)

  1. Mix (no fuss): Combine all ingredients until shaggy. Rest 20 min, then 2–3 stretch-and-folds every 10 min.
  2. Bulk: 60–90 min at warm room temp (or overnight cold: 12–18 h).
  3. Pan: Oil pan well; scrape in dough; oil top; rest 20–30 min, then gently stretch to corners.
  4. Proof: 45–60 min until puffy.
  5. Dimple & top: Whisk 30 g olive oil + 30 g water + 3 g salt; pour over; press fingertips to dimple. Add toppings (rosemary, cherry tomatoes, olives, or spinach & feta).
  6. Bake: 230 °C / 450 °F for 18–24 min to deep golden edges.
  7. Finish: Brush with a little oil; cool 10–15 min before slicing.

Trailer batch

  • Multiply dough ×6 for each full-sheet tray (or scale to your oven capacity).
  • Rotate pans halfway; aim for internal 96–98 °C / 205–208 °F.
  • Rest trays 10 min, then cut 5×4 grid (20 pieces) or sandwich rectangles.

Hold & service

Hold trays on speed racks; rewarm slices 3–4 min at 200 °C / 390 °F.
For sandwiches, split horizontally while warm; fill and press.

focaccia toppings

Cost & pricing snapshot

  • Food cost per full-sheet tray (plain): ≈ CA $6–$9
  • Slice price: $3.50–$5.00 (20 slices → $70–$100 revenue)
  • COGS target: 18–26% (before labour/overheads)

Pro trailer tips

  • Oil is your friend: Generous pan oil = crisp edges and easy release.
  • Humidity helper: Warm, humid days proof faster—watch volume, not the clock.
  • Menu versatility: Offer focaccia pizza by topping mid-bake with sauce/cheese.
baking focaccia