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–+ servings

Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Focaccia

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Sourdough focaccia dough made with honey and a lemon-sugar rub, swirled with homemade blueberry compote, and finished with a buttery lemon glaze that soaks into every dimple. Soft and airy inside, golden and crisp on the edges, with jammy pockets of fruit throughout.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Resting Time 8 hours
Servings 12 squares

Ingredients

Focaccia Dough

  • 100 grams Active sourdough starter
  • 375 grams Warm water
  • 20 grams Olive oil plus more for later
  • 20 grams Honey
  • 500 grams Bread flour
  • Zest of 1 lemon + 1 tbsp sugar for the sugar rub

Blueberry Compote

  • 2 cups Blueberries fresh or frozen
  • 1/2 cup Sugar or honey/maple syrup
  • 2 tsp Vanilla essence or paste
  • 2 tbsp Lemon juice

Lemon Glaze

  • 2 cups Powdered sugar sifted
  • 2 tbsp Lemon juice
  • 4 tbsp Melted butter
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 3 tbsp of cream to loosen, more if needed

Instructions

  • Make the lemon sugar rub.

    In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest and 1 tbsp sugar. Use your fingertips to rub them together until the sugar is fragrant and slightly damp. Set aside - this goes into the dough in the next step.

  • Mix the dough

    In a large bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter, warm water, olive oil, and honey until cloudy. Add the flour, salt, and lemon sugar. Mix until there's no dry flour left. Cover and rest for 20–30 minutes.

  • Stretch + fold

    Do 3 rounds of stretch and folds, spaced 20–30 minutes apart. Each round, grab the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over itself. By the third set it should feel noticeably stronger and smoother.

  • Bulk ferment

    Cover and let the dough rise at room temperature until it's doubled in size, airy, and slightly jiggly, about 6-8 hours at 70°F. This is mostly hands-off time, so go about your day.

  • Make the blueberry compote

    While the dough is rising (or anytime before baking), combine blueberries, sugar, and lemon zest in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and syrupy (it will also thicken as it cools). Add the lemon juice at the end. Let it cool completely before using, putting it in the fridge if you need to cool it faster.

  • Shape + assemble

    Generously oil a 9×13 pan. Transfer the dough and stretch it out gently. Spoon 1/2 cup of the compote across the surface, reserving a few tablespoons to top the dough later, then loosely roll the dough and place it seam-side down in the pan.
    Gently stretch the dough so it reaches the edges, and spoon the remaining few tablespoons of compote over the top (just a thin layer, you don't want to add too much here otherwise it won't get crispy on the top... you can also skip the compote here and just dab more compote on top after it's baked) and drizzle with a little more olive oil.
    Rest for 30–60 minutes until slightly puffed.

  • Dimple

    Once nice and puffy, use oiled fingertips to dimple it all over.

  • Bake

    Preheat your oven to 400°F. Bake for 30 minutes until the edges are deeply golden and the top is set. You know it's baked all the way through when it has reached an internal temperature of 200F.
    Transfer to a cooling rack (it may be easier after a 10 minute rest) and let it rest for at least 20–30 minutes before glazing and serving.

  • Make the lemon glaze

    Whisk together the melted butter, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and salt until smooth. Add cream 1tbsp at a time if it feels too thick. It should pour easily but not be watery. Drizzle generously over the cooled focaccia and enjoy!

Notes

 

  • The blueberry compote isn't just for focaccia... You can use the compote in all sorts of seasonal ways! As a spread, a syrup (filter out the berry chunks for a smooth syrup), in yogurt, on top of ice cream, on pancakes... sooo much!
  • Other berries work great here. Raspberries, blackberries, or a mixed berry blend are all lovely.
  • Want more citrus? Add a little extra zest to the glaze or the compote.
  • Best eaten the same day, but it keeps covered at room temp for 1–2 days. Warm individual squares in the microwave for 15–20 seconds to revive them.
  • Make the compote ahead. It keeps in the fridge for up to a week, so you can make it the day before and just pull it out when you're ready to bake.