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Easy Raspberry Focaccia Sourdough Bread Recipe

This is the perfectly sweet take on sourdough focaccia bread. This raspberry sourdough focaccia bread is sweet and tangy with juicy raspberries throughout and a decadent cream cheese icing drizzled on top.
Course Appetizer, bread, Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Keyword focaccia bread, sourdough focaccia bread
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Resting & Fermenting Time 12 hours
Servings 16 servings

Ingredients

  • 100 grams active sourdough starter
  • 1 1/2 cups water (plus 3 tbsp) also 400g
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 4 cups bread flour
  • 1/4 cup melted butter or avocado oil for the bread ( you can use less or more as needed)
  • 2 cup frozen or fresh raspberries

Frosting

  • 4 oz softened cream cheese
  • 2 tbsp softened butter
  • 2-4 tbsp milk this will depend on how thin or thick you want your frosting. More milk will create a thinner glaze like frosting. We prefer slightly thicker
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

  • First, you need to get a large mixing bowl. It can be plastic or glass but not metal. Metal can react to the starter. I like to use a glass bowl and transfer it all into my proofing container with a lid when its time for its bulk fermentation.
  • Take your sourdough starter and water and mix them in the bowl(it does not need to be warm water). I like to use a digital scale to measure these out. Once they are combined, add your honey, salt and bread flour(you can use all purpose flour but i prefer bred flour). Mix this until it is well combined. I like to use my danish dough whisk but you can use a wooden spoon. At a certain point it will become easier to mix it with your hands, and this is exactly what I do.
  • Once it is combined well, cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and let it sit for about 30 minutes. After about 30 minutes, you want to do your first knead. With wet hands, take the dough from one of the sides of the bowl, lift it, and fold it over the dough. Repeat this, rotating the bowl and raising the dough and laying it across itself. I do this to all sides and then let it rest. This should be a very wet dough. If it is tough, add a bit more water to it. Only 1 tablespoon at a time.
  • Its time to let the wild yeast do its thing. You can let it sit at room temperature to let it bulk ferment, but if I have time I will make sure to repeat the kneading process a couple more times. If I make it in the evening, I have plenty of time to do this since there is not a lot of active work, it only takes about 10 minutes of my evening to get my dough going.
  • If you want to bake your bread the next morning I would recommend leaving it out on your counter at room temperature, covered.
    If you want to wait and bake it the next evening, I would put your dough in the fridge to allow the yeast to slow down overnight. I have woken up to dough that has burst the lid and it spilling over the side of the bowl. If you choose this route, you simply need to take the dough out a couple hours prior to baking
  • So for ease with these instructions, I will be going with the first option which is what I usually do(bulk fermenting on the counter overnight). With either option you want to cover bowl with plastic wrap to prevent the dough from drying out.
  • In the morning, the dough should have at least doubled in size, mine often quadruples in size. This is from the longer fermentation process. This long rise is what will give your bread its amazing flavor.
  • Pour the dough onto an oiled counter. take a handful of raspberries and sprinkle them on the top of the dough. Fold the dough over itself in half.
    PREHEAT YOUR OVEN TO 425 DEGREES F.
  • Pour half of your butter into the bottom of your pan. I prefer to use a dutch oven skillet for this. You can divide the dough in half and make two if you are using a smaller cast iron skillet(it gives an amazing crust to the bread. If you are using a 9 by 13 baking pan or larger cast iron skillet, you can use the entire amount of dough. Transfer dough carefully in the sheet pan and gently pull it so that it starts to fill the pan. You do not to stress about it too much because it will spread and once we poke those holes in it, it will fill the entire pan.
  • At this point I like to cover the pan with a towel and let the dough rise once again until it doubles its original size. This can take about 30 minutes to 2 hours. It will totally depend on how active your starter was as well as how warm your room is.
  • Once it has doubled in size, pour the rest of the butter over the top of the dough and spread it over it all. Now sprinkle the rest of your raspberries onto the dough and using your fingers, gently press into the bread dimpling it. You can press the raspberries gently into the dough as well.
  • Put the bread in the hot oven and bake on the middle shelf for about 20-25 minutes. You are looking for a nice golden brown color on the top and the bottom will be nice and crispy.
    While the bread is baking, make your frosting by creaming the butter and cream cheese together and add the vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk. Once it is thoroughly mixed together, set it aside.
  • When it is done, take the focaccia out of the oven. Drizzle or spread your frosting over the raspberry bread while it is hot. It will help it to absorb into the bread and that is always a good thing.
  • Store in an airtight container.