Sweet Plum Focaccia Recipes

SWEET PLUM FOCACCIA

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in 2/3 cup of water, then mix with 1 1/4 cups of flour and knead into a dough. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rise for 1 hour.
• Then add the rest of the flour, 1/4 cup of sugar, the egg yolk, a generous pinch of salt, and 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and knead until the dough is uniform and very smooth. Place it in a bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise for another 3-4 hours.
• Cut about 1 pound of the plums into segments and remove the pits. Roast them with a little butter for 3-4 minutes, then add 1 tablespoon of sugar, 3-4 cloves, and a pinch of cinnamon.
• Roll out the dough on a work surface sprinkled with semolina and work it like pizza dough, pulling it into a thin, rectangular sheet of dough to fit into a baking sheet. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the rectangular dough on top of it.
• Ideally, divide the rectangle into 4 vertical rectangles lengthwise and arrange the cooked plums in the two central ones. The two outer rectangles should be folded over the plums and slightly overlapped to close the focaccia. Brush it with water and pierce the surface in a few places with a knife.
• Cut the remaining plums into thin slices, spread them over the focaccia, cover with a dry cloth, and let rise for another hour. Sprinkle with sugar and dot with a few pats of butter, then bake at 350°F for 15-18 minutes.

NO-KNEAD PLUM FOCACCIA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, yeast, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon thyme. Add cold water and 1/3 cup oil. Stir with a wooden spoon or your hands until a wet dough forms and no dry flour remains. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until dough quadruples in volume and top appears bubbly, at least 12 hours and up to 18 hours.
• Pour 1/3 cup oil onto a 12-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet. Lightly coat your hands with oil on sheet, and scrape dough onto center of sheet. Turn dough to evenly coat with oil, then press to spread in an even thickness to edgesof pan. Use your fingers to make dimple-like indentations all over dough. Cover and let rise at room temperature until doubled in volume (dough should reach top of sheet rim), about 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees with rack in lower third. In a bowl, toss plums with remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Scatter evenly over dough; drizzle with any accumulated juices from bowl. Sprinkle the top evenly with pearl sugar.
• Bake until puffed slightly and golden brown on top, 16 to 18 minutes (if top is browning too quickly, tent with foil). Let focaccia cool in pan on a wire rack until warm but no longer hot, about 20 minutes. Serve warm or room-temperature, or let cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.

SWEET FOCACCIA WITH FIGS, PLUMS, AND HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Make the sponge. Combine yeast and water in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and stir to dissolve. Whisk in sugar and flour. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until bubbly and doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.
• Make the dough. If using a stand mixer, whisk together yeast and water in a small bowl and let stand until creamy, a few minutes. Add to the sponge in the mixer bowl, along with sugar and olive oil. Add flours (including cornmeal) and salt and mix in with the paddle attachment for 1 to 2 minutes, until ingredients are amalgamated. Change to dough hook and knead on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough should come together and slap against the sides of the bowl. It will be slightly tacky. To make the dough by hand, combine yeast and water as directed and whisk into sponge with sugar and olive oil. Whisk in all-purpose flour. Add salt, cornmeal and remaining flour, one cup at a time, folding it in with a spatula or a wooden spoon. When you can scrape out the dough, add flour to the work surface, put dough on top and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft and velvety. Return to bowl (coat bowl lightly with olive oil first).
• Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Shape the focaccia. Coat a 12-x-17-inch sheet pan (sides and bottom) with olive oil. Line with parchment and flip parchment over so the exposed side is oiled. Turn dough onto baking sheet. Oil or moisten your hands and press out dough until it just about covers the bottom of the pan. Dough may be sticky. Cover with a towel and allow it to relax for 10 minutes, then continue to press it out until it reaches the edges of the pan. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm spot for 45 minutes to an hour, or until dough is full of air bubbles.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees after 15 minutes of rising (30 minutes before you wish to bake), preferably with a baking stone in it. Combine chopped rosemary and olive oil for the topping in a small pan and heat just until rosemary begins to sizzle. Count to 30 and remove from heat. Swirl olive oil in the pan and pour into a small measuring cup or ramekin. Allow to cool.
• With lightly oiled fingertips or with your knuckles, dimple the dough, pressing down hard so you leave indentations. Place hazelnut halves in the indentations. Distribute the fruit evenly over the dough and drizzle on the oil and rosemary. Combine the remaining tablespoon of sugar and the cinnamon, and sprinkle evenly over the fruit and dough.
• Place pan in oven on baking stone. Spray oven 3 times with water during the first 10 minutes, and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until edges are crisp and the top is golden. If you wish, remove the focaccia from the pan and bake directly on the stone during the last 10 minutes. Remove from oven, remove from pan at once and cool on a rack. If you want a softer focaccia, cover with a towel when you remove it from the oven. Serve warm or at room temperature.