Description
This Sweet Focaccia with Raspberry Jam is a delightful twist on traditional focaccia bread, combining a tender, airy yeast dough baked to golden perfection with pockets of sweet raspberry jam and a smooth powdered sugar glaze. Perfect for serving as a breakfast treat, dessert, or a special snack, this recipe offers an irresistibly soft texture and vibrant flavor contrast, finished with an elegant glaze that complements the fruity filling.
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups warm water (105-115°F)
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 packet active dry yeast
- 2 cups bread flour
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp olive oil (divided)
Topping Ingredients
- 1 jar raspberry jam (approx. 12 oz, Bonne Maman recommended)
Glaze Ingredients
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2-4 tbsp whole milk (adjust for consistency)
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a stand mixer bowl, combine the warm water (105-115°F) and sugar. Whisk quickly by hand until the sugar dissolves. Add the yeast and whisk again to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes until the mixture bubbles, indicating the yeast is active. If no bubbles appear, discard and restart with fresh yeast.
- Mix Dough: Attach the dough hook to your stand mixer. Add bread flour, all-purpose flour, and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix until a sticky dough forms, about 3-5 minutes on medium speed.
- First Rise: Coat a large mixing bowl with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl and rub oil over its surface to prevent drying. Cover with plastic wrap and place the bowl in a warm spot (like near a sunny window) for 1 hour until the dough doubles in size.
- Prepare Pan and Knead: Brush 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a 9×13 metal pan. Turn the risen dough out into the pan and fold it in thirds over itself several times, flipping and gently kneading to incorporate the oil and develop gluten structure.
- Second Rise: Cover the dough in the pan with plastic wrap. Place it back in the warm spot for another hour, allowing it to rise and spread to the edges of the pan.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Dough Surface: Remove the plastic wrap and preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the dough surface. Use your fingers to poke holes evenly throughout to create dimples and pockets for the jam.
- Add Raspberry Jam: Spoon about ¼ of the raspberry jam evenly over the dough, making sure it fills the dimples.
- Bake: Bake the focaccia for 18-22 minutes or until the top is lightly golden and the bread is fully cooked.
- Create Jam Pockets: As soon as it comes out of the oven, use a large straw to poke about 35 holes into the bread, allowing jam to soak deeper into the bread later.
- Fill Holes with Jam: Use a small spoon to deposit jam into each hole, letting the warmth of the bread melt and spread the jam inside.
- Prepare and Apply Glaze: While the bread cools slightly, use an electric hand mixer to blend powdered sugar with milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the glaze is smooth but still thick enough to harden after applying. Once the top icing is set, flip the focaccia onto a wire rack to frost the bottom side for a fully glazed finish.
- Serve: Cut the focaccia into squares and serve at room temperature to enjoy the perfect balance of soft bread, sweet jam, and sugary glaze.
Notes
- Ensure your yeast is fresh to guarantee a good rise.
- Adjust milk quantity in the glaze to achieve the desired consistency—too thin will drip off, too thick will be hard to spread.
- Using a straw to poke holes helps the jam penetrate deeply for moist pockets throughout the bread.
- You can substitute raspberry jam with other berry or fruit jams as desired.
- For best texture, consume within 2 days or store in an airtight container.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Bread, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
