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Sweet Focaccia

17/11/2023

Sweet focaccia is a leavened and sweetened variation of the more classic savory focaccia. Here is a simple recipe to make a fluffy and fragrant sweet focaccia.

Ingredients

  • 500 g of “manitoba” flour
  • 250 ml of warm milk
  • 50 g of granulated sugar
  • 70 g of soft butter
  • 1 egg
  • 25 g of fresh brewer’s yeast or 7 g of dry brewer’s yeast
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon (untreated)
  • For the finish:
    • Brown sugar to taste
    • Butter to taste (about 30 g)
    • To scent: vanilla or orange blossom water (optional)

Preparation

  1. Dissolve the brewer’s yeast in warm milk with a teaspoon of sugar taken from the total. Let it rest for a few minutes until small bubbles form on the surface.
  2. In a large bowl, sift the flour and add the salt, the remaining sugar, the grated lemon zest, and the egg. Stir to combine the dry ingredients.
  3. Add the milk with the dissolved yeast and start kneading. Once the dough starts to come together, add the soft butter in pieces and knead until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough.
  4. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let the dough rise in a warm place free of drafts until it doubles in volume, about 1-2 hours.
  5. Take a baking tray and grease it with a little butter, then pour the leavened dough into the tray, gently spreading it with your hands, creating an even surface.
  6. Let the focaccia rise again in the tray for about 30 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 180 °C.
  7. Before baking, distribute small pieces of butter on the surface and sprinkle with plenty of brown sugar.
  8. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the surface becomes golden brown.
  9. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving. If you wish, you can add a special touch with a drizzle of honey or a dusting of powdered sugar.

Curiosity

Sweet focaccia is a simple and versatile dessert that can be consumed at breakfast, dipped in milk or tea, or as a base for other preparations, such as stuffed cakes. Often, in the Italian regions where it is most popular, it is flavored with typical local ingredients, such as raisins, pine nuts, or candied fruit, making each recipe unique!