Sourdough Apple Fritter Focaccia
This sourdough apple fritter focaccia bread is a gooey treat loaded with cinnamon sugar apples and a sweet vanilla glaze icing.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Dough whisk
- Kitchen towel
- Medium saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- 9x13 glass baking dish
- Kitchen scale (if using gram measurements)
Ingredients
Sourdough Focaccia Dough
- 200 g active sourdough starter about 1 cup
- 400 g warm water about 1 ⅔ cups (warm water between 110℉-110℉, no hotter)
- 10 g salt 1 ½ teaspoons
- 510 g unbleached flour about 3 ½ cups
- avocado cooking spray or cooking spray of choice for spraying 2nd mixing bowl
- 30 g salted butter, melted reserved for baking dish, about 2 Tablespoons
Apple Fritter Focaccia Topping
- 115 g salted butter 1/2 cup or 1 stick
- 100 g brown sugar 1/2 cup
- 2 g vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon
- 12 g ground cinnamon 2 Tablespoons
- 3 medium apples cored, peeled, and finely diced
Vanilla Glaze Icing
- 120 g powdered sugar about 1 cup
- 30 g milk about 2 Tablespoons
- 2 g vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon
Instructions
Sourdough Focaccia Dough
- Mix Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine active sourdough starter and water. Whisk to combine until starter is evenly dissolved.
- Add salt and flour to mixture and whisk to combine to form dough. Dough will be very wet and sticky and not come together right away. This is normal! Let dough rest for 30 minutes.
- 1 Set of Stretch and Folds: After 30 minute rest, perform 1 set of stretch and folds. You only need 1 set during the bulk fermentation for this recipe. The dough will still be very wet, shaggy, and stretchy even after stretch and folds.How to stretch and fold: With slightly wet fingers, grab one side of the dough and stretch the dough upward. Fold the dough into the center. Slightly rotate the bowl and repeat 8-10 times until all sides of the dough have been stretched up and folded into the center. This is 1 set of stretch and folds.
- Bulk Fermentation (or 1st Proof)*: Spray 2nd mixing bowl with avocado cooking spray (or cooking spray of choice). Since this dough is very sticky and wet, cooking spray helps the dough transfer better. Transfer dough to greased mixing bowl and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Place in an oven (not turned on) with oven light on. *See Note about using warmth to speed up rise times.
- Let dough sit covered for about 4 hours or until the dough has grown in size by 50% to 75%. And is bubbly, jiggly, and passes the poke test. Always rely on visual cues for bulk fermentation versus a timer. Fermentation time depends on strength of your sourdough starter, what type of flour you use, and how warm your kitchen is.How to do the poke test: Wet a finger with water and poke the dough. If the dough springs slowly and leaves a slight indentation, it's ready. If the dough springs back quickly, it needs more time to proof.
- Prepare the Baking Dish: Once dough is proofed, line a 9x13 glass baking dish with parchment paper. Pour 30 grams (2 Tbsp) of melted butter on the parchment paper and spread around to cover the bottom of the pan. Transfer dough to baking dish. Gently stretch it to the edge and let it sit while you prepare the topping.
OVERNIGHT Instructions
- Mix up your focaccia dough in the late afternoon and perform 1 stretch and fold. Allow to ferment at room temperature for a few hours. Then cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and place in fridge overnight.The next morning, simply continue with the instructions for 2nd proof (allowing for extra time for dough to return to room temperature), topping, and baking.
Apple Fritter Focaccia Topping
- Peel and dice apples into small pieces. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, and add brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Be careful to remove from heat so the sugar doesn't burn. Stir to combine and fold in apples.
- Scoop about 1/3 of the cinnamon sugar apple mixture onto the dough in the pan. Fold it into the dough by pulling the sides of the dough into the center. It will be very messy and that's okay! Flip the dough over so it is seam side down in the pan. Spread the dough back out by pushing it gently to the edges with your fingers.
- Cover pan with damp kitchen towel. Place pan back in oven with the oven light on for a 2nd rise for 1 hour or until the dough has nearly doubled in size and mostly filled pan. The dough will be bubbly and will have expanded to nearly reach the edges. *See Note about using warmth to speed up rise times.
- After 2nd proof, remove baking pan from oven and place on counter. Preheat the oven to 425℉ while you add the rest of the topping.
- Dimple Dough: On low heat, warm the remaining cinnamon sugar apple mixture up on the stove to make it pourable. Scoop the remaining mixture all over the top of the dough. It may look soppy and runny. Use your fingers to poke the dough to create "dimples." Gently push the dough all over to expand it fully in the pan and push down the apple fritter mixture. The dough should be dimpled and covered with topping all over.
- Bake Focaccia: Place pan on the lowest rack of your oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes until focaccia is bubbling and golden brown.
Vanilla Glaze Icing
- Once baked, allow the focaccia to fully cool in the pan. Then remove it carefully from the parchment paper and place on a wire rack sitting on a shallow baking tray.
- Combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk in a small bowl. Brush glaze all over the cooled focaccia, making sure you brush the sides. Allow the glaze to cool and harden. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- The #1 KEY TIP to this same day recipe is using warmth to speed up the rise times. Keep the dough in a warm place like an oven with the light on, by a warm stove, OR placed in an oven that has been preheated to 170 degrees Fahrenheit and then turned off and allowed to slightly cool with the door open before placing dough inside.
- Types of Apples: I use Gala apples for this recipe. Other apple varieties that would be good are Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Pink Lady. These are all good baking apples. Avoid softer varieties of apples that get mushy when baked.
- Rise times for a sourdough recipe can be impacted by kitchen temperature, elevation, and many other factors. Always rely on visual cues for bulk fermentation and proofing versus relying on a timer.
- Using 200 grams of active starter means this recipe ferments and rises faster. Using a light in a turned-off oven provides a warmer environment and quicker fermentation. Proof times may be longer if left out on the counter or placed in a cooler area.
- Using a damp kitchen towel to cover the bowl keeps the dough from drying out during proofing.
- This dough is very wet and sticky pretty much the whole time. That’s okay! This leads to a soft focaccia in the end. But it’s also why using cooking oil like avocado oil, coconut oil, or olive oil is important to make the dough easier to transfer for baking.