The sweet chocolate and dried fruit focaccia is a leavened bread characterized by extreme softness thanks to high hydration and long fermentation. The preparation is very similar to classic focaccia with the addition of brown sugar, chocolate, and dried fruit on the surface. I chose salted hazelnuts and almonds but feel free to customize as you like. Perfect for both breakfast and snack!
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- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 12
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 154.48 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 22.12 (g) of which sugars 4.06 (g)
- Proteins 4.49 (g)
- Fat 5.55 (g) of which saturated 1.36 (g)of which unsaturated 2.62 (g)
- Fibers 1.48 (g)
- Sodium 1.55 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 40 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups Manitoba flour (alternatively 0)
- 7/8 cup water
- 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tbsp brown sugar (+ more for the focaccia surface)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 3/4 oz 70% dark chocolate
- 7/8 oz hazelnuts
- 7/8 oz almonds
Tools
- 1 Stand Mixer
- 1 Food Scale
- 1 Precision Scale precision
- 1 Pastry Board
- 1 Container
- 1 Baking Tray
- Parchment Paper
Sweet Chocolate and Dried Fruit Focaccia
Disclaimer: within the “Ingredients” and “Tools” sections there are affiliate links
If you love chocolate/cocoa desserts, don’t miss the COLLECTION OF CHOCOLATE AND COCOA DESSERTS
Start the preparation of the sweet chocolate and dried fruit focaccia with autolyse: in bread-making, autolyse is the process of combining flour with a certain amount of water, kneading just enough to make every dry grain of flour disappear, and letting this sort of pre-dough rest for a variable time that can range from 20 minutes to 24 hours. The purpose of this process is to trigger the self-disintegration of the cells contained in the flour, and through the fermentation process, break down proteins, release sugars, and promote gluten formation. (source: https://panbrioche.com/autolisi-cose-e-a-cosa-serve/)
Place all the flour and 180g of water in the mixer; knead until the two ingredients are completely mixed, it doesn’t matter if the dough isn’t homogeneous. Cover and let rest for at least an hour.
After the resting time, dissolve the active dry yeast in the remaining water; add it to the dough along with the extra virgin olive oil and brown sugar. Let the stand mixer work until the dough is well combined.
Proceed with 5-6 folds in the bowl (with wet hands), cover and let rest for half an hour.
After half an hour, proceed with the slap and fold: place the dough on a greased work surface (I recommend using marble or steel), take the dough, slap it on the surface, and fold it. Do it 7-8 times or until you feel the dough is well-tensed and finish by closing the dough well and forming a smooth round ball (pirlatura). If you have doubts, you can find a practical demonstration in the video above.
Do the slap and fold 3 times at intervals of 30 minutes each.
Finish with a round of folds, transfer to a greased container and let rise until doubled.
Once doubled, pour the dough directly onto a greased baking tray or covered with parchment paper: spread it with your fingertips taking care not to burst the bubbles.
Add the dried fruit and chopped dark chocolate and let rest for another half an hour.
Now all that’s left is to bake the sweet chocolate and dried fruit focaccia: in a static oven preheated to 482°F in the lower part of the oven for 8-10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let the chocolate solidify slightly before cutting it.
You can find this recipe in the collection Sweet and Savory Vegan Recipes, over 50 ideas for all tastes.
Sweet Chocolate and Dried Fruit Focaccia
You can store this focaccia in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Alternatively, you can freeze it already portioned and store it this way for up to 3 months: when you want to consume it, let it thaw slowly in the fridge.
Also try the HIGH HYDRATION ONION FOCACCIA
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Bon appétit!
