A recipe for a simple sourdough focaccia, adaptable for other focaccia recipes by subbing oil for butter and adding extra sugar. This recipe combines a shortbread-style sourdough focaccia with a tart lemon curd topping, finished with powdered sugar.
We’ll start by making the shortbread style sourdough focaccia dough. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of active sourdough starter, 1 & 3/4 cup of warm water, and 1/4 cup of cane sugar. Then, mix in 3 & 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, 2 tsp of salt, and 3 tbsp of melted butter until a dough forms. Let this rest for 10 minutes and then do a round of pull and folds. Cover the bowl and let this proof somewhere warm for about 8 hours (it should double in size, the time will depend on how warm the environment is!) After an hour or two of proofing, do another round of pull and folds.
While the focaccia is proofing, make the lemon curd. In a mixing bowl, whisk together 4 egg yolks with 3/4 cup of cane sugar. Slowly whisk in 3/4 cup of lemon juice. Then, transfer to a saucepan with 1/2 cup of cubed unsalted butter and 1 tbsp of lemon zest. Whisk together over low heat until the butter melts in. Once the mixture starts to bubble, turn off the heat and transfer to a glass container to cool before sealing. Store in the fridge until you’re ready to use.
Once the dough is done proofing, transfer to a buttered quarter sheet pan (9 x 13). Preheat your oven to 425F and place the sheet pan on top of the oven where it’s warm. Once it rises and gets puffy, stretch the dough to cover the sheet pan. Drizzle 2 tbsp of butter on top and dimple the dough. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
Let this cool for 10 minutes and then transfer to a clean surface. Spread the lemon curd on top and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Slice and enjoy!
