Apple Fritter Focaccia

Name: Apple Fritter Focaccia
Prep time: 3 h
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 3 h 40 min
Yield: 8

180 MINPrep Time

40 MINCook Time

8Servings

by Giadzy

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Photo Credit: Elizabeth Newman

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There’s so much to love about focaccia: it’s absolutely delicious, it’s quite easy to make as far as yeasted breads go, and it’s endlessly customizable. Giada’s Easy Italian Focaccia is a perfect base recipe, and then you can really let your imagination run wild - which is exactly what we did for this recipe, and the results blew us away.

This dessert-version of focaccia is stuffed with gobs of apple butter and cinnamon, topped with flakey sea salt, then baked. Once it’s out of the oven (and your house will smell absolutely intoxicating, FYI) give it a drizzle of apple cider icing that will harden into a perfectly crackly glaze.

If you’re looking for some savory options to jazz up your focaccia game, try our French Onion Focaccia or Sfincione.

Apple Fritter Focaccia

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Servings

Prep Time

180 minutes

Cook Time

40 minutes

Ingredients

For the focaccia:

3 cups bread flour
2 ¼ teaspoons rapid rise instant yeast, 1 (1/4 ounce) envelope
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups warm water
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

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1 cup apple butter or apple spread
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon flake salt, such as Maldon

For the glaze:

1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider or apple juice

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Gradually add the lukewarm water to the dry ingredients, stirring to combine with a silicone spatula. Mix for 2 minutes or until the ingredients are all combined and there are no dry streaks remaining. The dough should be very sticky and gummy.
Drizzle the dough with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Use your hands to rub the olive oil into the
exposed sides of the bowl as well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to proof at room temperature (around 70° F) for about 1 ½ hours, until it has doubled in size and has bubbles on the surface. If the ambient temperature is cooler, it may take longer; if it is warmer, it may not take as long.
Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with a strip of parchment paper across the long sides of the pan and drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil.
Pour the dough onto a counter and press and pull the dough to be an approximately 17 x 10 inch rectangle. Dollop the apple butter all over and sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon. Pull and fold the edges of the dough into the center, overlapping in the middle, to cover the butter. Flip the dough so the seam side is down and place in the prepared pan. Drizzle the dough with another tablespoon of olive oil, and gently press or pull the dough into all corners of the dish. If some of the apple butter is showing through, that is completely okay. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, until it has doubled again and has visible bubbles on the surface.
Preheat the oven to 425° F.
After the final proofing, remove the plastic wrap. Use your fingers to dimple the dough all over, pressing it to the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with flake salt. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the focaccia is crispy and golden brown.
While the focaccia bakes, in a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioner’s sugar and apple cider or juice. Drizzle the hot focaccia with the glaze and spread evenly with an offset spatula or brush. Cool in the pan for an additional 15 minutes. Run the tip of a knife along the short edges of the focaccia to loosen from the pan. Remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares and serving.