Blueberry & Olive Focaccia

Blueberry & Olive Focaccia

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Bake Temp
230°C falling to 200°C
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Mixing Time
12-14 MINS
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Bake Time
25-30 MINS
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Prep Time
2.5 HOURS

INGREDIENTS 

For Focaccia Dough 

  • SwissBake® MORCOTE® 00 Flour – 1000g
  • Chilled Water (4°C) – 750g
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for dough – 50g
  • Fresh Yeast – 30g
  • Salt – 20g 

For Blueberry Compote 

  • Blueberries, fresh or frozen – 200g
  • Castor Sugar – 25g
  • Water, for slurry – 10g
  • Lemon Juice – 5g
  • Cornstarch – 5g 

For Olive Inclusions 

  • Pitted Olives, drained & halved – 100g 

For Pan Dressing 

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for pan and dimpling – 80g 

METHOD 

Blueberry Compote Preparation: In a saucepan, combine the blueberries, castor sugar & lemon juice. Simmer over medium heat for 4–5 minutes until the berries burst and begin releasing their juices. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and boil for 1 minute until the mixture thickens into a jam-like compote. Remove from heat and cool completely in the refrigerator before using in the dough. 

Dough Kneading: In a mixing bowl of a spiral mixer, combine MORCOTE® 00 Flour and salt. Further add fresh yeast & chilled water. Knead on slow speed for 4 minutes until the flour is hydrated, then increase to fast speed and continue kneading for 6–8 minutes until the dough passes the windowpane test. Incorporate the extra virgin olive oil for the dough and continue mixing on fast speed for 2 minutes, until the oil is completely absorbed and the dough becomes glossy. 

Dough Folding: Transfer the wet dough to a well-oiled container and allow it to rest for 30 minutes. Perform the first stretch-and-fold, scattering half of the pitted olives and cooled blueberry compote over the dough before folding it over itself. Rest for another 30 minutes, then repeat the folding process with the remaining olives and compote. Allow the dough to rest for a final 30 minutes to develop structure and retain gas. 

Panning & Proofing: Pour the extra virgin olive oil for pan dressing and dimpling into a deep baking tray. Gently slide the dough into the pan and stretch it lightly toward the corners without deflating the gas pockets. Proof at ambient temperature, or in a 30°C proofer, until the dough doubles in volume, becomes puffy, and shows large surface bubbles. 

Dimpling & Baking: Press oiled fingertips deeply into the dough across the entire surface to create classic focaccia dimples. Load the tray into an oven preheated to 230°C. Immediately allow the oven temperature to fall to 200°C and bake for 25–30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the bottom is fried crisp in the olive oil. 

Cooling & Portioning: Unmould the focaccia immediately onto a wire cooling rack to preserve the crisp bottom crust. Allow it to cool for 20 minutes before portioning into thick square pieces.

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