Strawberry Rhubarb Sweet Focaccia
Step into a world of delightful flavors with this incredible Strawberry Rhubarb Sweet Focaccia! This recipe offers a delicious twist on the typical savory focaccia, transforming it into a wonderfully sweet dessert bread.
Servings: 12 squares
Calories: 447kcal
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Rhubarb Filling
- 2 cups strawberries fresh, washed, and chopped in quarters
- 2 cups rhubarb fresh, chopped into ½" dice
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mix the cornstarch into the water
- 2 tablespoons water
For the Streusel Topping
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour 80 grams
- ⅔ cup sugar 66 grams
- ¼ cup butter softened
For the Sweet Focaccia Dough
- 6 cups all-purpose flour 740 grams
- ½ cup sugar 100 grams
- 1 teaspoon salt 9 grams
- 2 envelopes Instant yeast 4½ teaspoons, or 14 grams
- 2⅓ cups water 540 grams, warm, 105-110℉,
- 4 tablespoons butter melted in the baking pan
For the Lemon Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice more if needed
Instructions
Prepare the Strawberry Rhubarb Filling
- Wash and cut fresh rhubarb stalks. Hull and dice fresh strawberries. Place both the strawberries and the rhubarb in a medium sauce pan with the sugar, cornstarch slurry, and lemon juice.2 cups strawberries, 2 cups rhubarb, ½ cup sugar, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoons water
- Simmer until the fruit thickens for about 5 minutes, taking care not to overcook and break the fruit up. Set aside to cool to room temperature while preparing the focaccia.
Prepare the Streusel Topping
- To make the streusel topping, mix ⅔ cup of flour, ⅔ cup of sugar, and the softened butter in a small bowl. Use a fork or a wire whisk to cut the butter into the flour and sugar mixture until it has the texture of crumbs. Set in the refrigerator to chilled.⅔ cup all-purpose flour, ⅔ cup sugar, ¼ cup butter
For the Sweet Focacca Dough
- Using a large mixing bowl, mix the remaining flour, sugar, salt, instant yeast, and warm water into a soft dough.6 cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 envelopes Instant yeast, 2⅓ cups water
- Tip the dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly until smooth and elastic, about 5 to 8 minutes. Cover with a cloth and let rest for 20 minutes.
- Tip the dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly until smooth and elastic, about 5 to 8 minutes. Cover with a cloth and let rest for 20 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 375℉ and melt the butter in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan for a thick focaccia. For a thinner focaccia, use a rimmed baking sheet.4 tablespoons butter
- Transfer the dough to the baking pan and stretch it out to cover the bottom.
First Fold
- Spoon ⅓ of the strawberry rhubarb mixture over ⅓ of the dough, at one end. Spoon ⅓ of the streusel mixture over the strawberry filling.
- Gently lift flip the end of the dough with the filling over on top of the middle portion of the dough, as in a letter-fold.
Second Fold
- Spoon the second ⅓ of the filling and ⅓ of the streusel over the center portion of the dough.
- Last, lift up the last third of the dough and lay it over the center section, again like you would fold a sheet of paper to slip into an envelope.
Turn the Folded Dough
- Now, gently turn the filled folded dough 90 degrees (I just grab and twist), so the open ends are at the narrow ends of the pan.
- Stretch the filled folded dough out to now fit the pan, and top the surface with the remaining strawberry rhubarb filling. Sprinkle the remaining streusel on top last.
Bake and Ice
- Cover lightly and set in a warm location for 30 minutes to rise, then bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes if baking in a 13x9 pan, or 30-35 minutes in a shallower rimmed baking sheet.
- Once removed, allow the strawberry rhubarb focaccia to cool to just warm before drizzling with lemon icing.
To Make Lemon Glaze
- Add the powdered sugar to a small bowl and whisk with the lemon juice, about 2 to 4 tablespoons to reach your desired consistency.1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Notes
- Fresh Fruit is Key: Use ripe, fresh strawberries and rhubarb for the best flavor and texture in your filling. Frozen can work in a pinch, but fresh will yield superior results.
- Don't Rush the Rise: Allow your focaccia dough ample time to rise in a warm spot. This creates the airy, tender crumb characteristic of good focaccia. Patience here pays off!
- Chill the Streusel: Chilling the streusel topping before applying it helps maintain its crumbly texture during baking, preventing it from melting too quickly into the fruit.
- Dimple Gently: When stretching the dough and adding the fruit, use gentle pressure to create dimples without tearing the dough. This helps hold the fruit and streusel in place.
- Glaze While Warm: Drizzle the lemon glaze over the focaccia while it's still warm from the oven. This allows the glaze to melt slightly and seep into the bread, adding moisture and extra lemon flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 447kcal | Carbohydrates: 95g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 260mg | Potassium: 190mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 259IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 3mg
