Chocolate Cherry Focaccia (Vegan)
A delightfully crispy sweet focaccia showcasing the delicious blend of cherries and chocolate. This dairy and egg-free sweet bread is an ideal morning treat.
This recipe puts a sweet spin on the beloved Italian focaccia, combining the indulgent richness of chocolate with the tart brightness of cherries. It’s perfectly sweet with an irresistibly crispy exterior, while the inside remains light, fluffy, and delicately sweetened. Topped with a simple vanilla glaze, this focaccia is sure to become your go-to morning indulgence.
What you will need:
This recipe is all about cherries, chocolate and wonderfully crispy focaccia bread. All of the ingredients are basic pantry items that can easily be found at your local grocery store. Fresh or frozen cherries will do, so this wonderful, sweet bread can be enjoyed even if it isn’t cherry season. I used Rapid Rise yeast for this recipe. Active Rise yeast will work just as well, just remember to bloom it first.
Focaccia
- bread flour
- rapid rise yeast
- salt
- cane sugar
- plant based butter with salt
Toppings
- cherries – fresh or frozen
- turbinado sugar
- chocolate chunks – I used Enjoy Life Semi Sweet Mega Chunks
Glaze
- powdered sugar
- plant based milk
- vanilla extract
How to:
To begin, combine the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in a medium to large bowl. Combine the water and melted butter in a separate container. The water/butter needs to be between 105F and 115F. If it is too cold or too warm, it can kill the yeast. I suggest purchasing a thermometer, it makes things so much easier and more accurate. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients. Stir until everything is well incorporated; don’t worry if the dough appears slightly lumpy—it’s perfectly normal. Next, place the bowl inside a proofing bag (see the note below in the notes section) or simply cover it. Allow the dough to proof for 20 minutes. For an optimal proofing environment, I recommend placing the dough in a proofing bag and then setting the bag in the oven with only the oven light on. This method works well throughout the year and creates an ideal atmosphere for your dough to rise beautifully.
Please refer to the notes section below for a more detailed description of the proofing and folding process. After the dough has proofed for the first 20 minutes, remove it from the oven and its proofing bag, and perform the first set of eight folds. Keep a bowl of water nearby, as wet fingers will help prevent the dough from sticking too much. Return the dough to the proofing bag and place the bag back into the oven for the second 20-minute proofing session.
Once the dough has proofed for the second 20 minutes, take the bag out of the oven and remove the dough from the bag. It’s time to complete the second set of eight folds. Return the dough to the proofing bag and place the bag back into the oven.
The process of 20 minutes of proofing followed by eight folds will be repeated three more times, resulting in a total of five proofing and folding sessions. After the fifth proofing/folding session, place the bowl back into the proofing bag and place the bag back into the oven (with only the oven light on) to proof for 20 minutes.
Once the last 20 minutes of proofing is done, generously grease an 8×8 or 9×9 square baking pan with olive oil. Pour the dough into the pan and gently spread it out, taking care not to lose any air bubbles you’ve created. Place the pan inside a proofing bag and place the bag in the oven with only the oven light on. Allow the dough to proof in the oven for 1 hour.
Once the dough has finished proofing, remove it from the oven and take it out of its proofing bag. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Combine the melted butter and oil and brush it over the top of the dough. Using your fingers, create dimples in the dough to form bubbles and pockets. Place the halved cherries across the top of the dough, cut side down. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar and scatter the chocolate chunks over the top of the dough. Bake the focaccia for 30 minutes, or until it is browned and crispy. The edges should pull away from the sides of the pan. Once done, transfer the bread to a cooling rack.
Once the focaccia is out of the oven, prepare the glaze by combining the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk in a small container. Stir the mixture until well combined and smooth. Drizzle the focaccia with the glaze while it is still warm. It is ready to be sliced and served. The focaccia is best served same day. Store any leftover focaccia in an airtight container at room temperature.
Alright, let’s get started. Please make, bake and enjoy!
Chocolate Cherry Focaccia (Vegan)
Ingredients
Focaccia
- 270 grams / 2¼ cups bread flour
- 270 mls water – 105F to 115F
- 6 grams / 1¾ tsp rapid rise yeast
- 3 grams / ½ tsp salt
- 25 grams / 2 tbsp cane sugar
- 21 grams / 1½ tbsp plant based butter – melted
Toppings
- 10 to 12 cherries – fresh or frozen – pitted and halved
- 2 tbsp chocolate chunks – I used Enjoy Life semi sweet mega chunks
- 2½ tbsp turbinado sugar
- 1 tbsp plant based butter – melted
- 1 tbsp oil – I used light olive oil
Glaze
- ½ cup/ 60 grams powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp plant based milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Focaccia
- To a medium to large bowl, add the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Whisk to combine. Combine the water and melted butter – making sure the temperature is between 105F and 115F. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients. Stir until all ingredients are fully combined. Its ok if it seems a little lumpy.Place the bowl in a "proofing bag" ***see note below in the notes section*** or cover the bowl and set the bowl aside to proof for 20 minutes. ***I place my dough in a proofing bag and place the bag in the oven with only the oven light on. No matter the time of year, I find it to be the perfect environment for proofing dough.
- ***Please see note below in the notes section for a more detailed description of the proofing/folding process.So the dough has proofed for its 1st 20 minutes, remove it from the oven and its proofing bag and do your 1st of eight folds. Keep a bowl of water nearby, wet fingers helps keep the dough from sticking too much. Return the dough to the proofing bag and place the bag back into the oven for the 2nd 20 minute proofing session.The dough has proofed for the 2nd 20 minute session. Remove the bag from the oven and remove the dough from the bag. Time to complete the 2nd set of 8 folds. Return the bowl back to the proofing bag and return the bag back to the oven. This process of 20 minutes of proofing and 8 folds will be repeated 3 more times. After the 5th proof/fold, place the bowl back in the proofing bag and let the dough proof for 20 minutes.
- Generously oil an 8×8 or 9×9 square pan. Once the last 20 minutes of proofing is done, pour the dough into the pan and gently spread it out – trying not to lose any bubbles you have created. Place the pan in the proofing bag, place the bag in the oven – again with only the oven light on. Leave the dough in the oven to proof for 1 hour.
- Once done proofing, remove the dough from the oven and its proofing bag. Preheat the oven to 425F.In a small container, combine the melted butter and oil. Brush the mixture over the top of the dough. Using your fingers, "dimple" the dough creating bubbles and pockets. Place the halved cherries over the top of the dough – cut side down. Sprinkle the top of the dough with the turbinado sugar. Scatter the chocolate chunks across the top of the dough.Bake the focaccia for 30 minutes. You want it to be browned and crispy. It will also be separated from the sides of the pan. Transfer the bread to a cooling rack. It is best served warm.
- Once the focaccia is out of the oven, prepare the glaze. To a small container, add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk. Stir until well combined and smooth. Drizzle over the focaccia while it is still warm, slice and serve.
- Store the focaccia in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Folding tutorial
