Sweet focaccia might seem strange but it’s having a moment. In this recipe, peppery olive oil and dark chocolate pair really well – throw some sea salt in the mix for a sweet/salty edge and you have baking heaven.
Nutrition: per serving
Mix together the flour, yeast and 2 tsp of fine sea salt in a bowl. Mix 3 tbsp of the oil and the caster sugar into 600ml of warm water. Pour the liquid into the flour and mix until it comes together into a soft, sticky dough.
Knead the dough in the bowl by lifting up the edges and folding it back over itself, turning the bowl as you do this. After 5 mins the dough will become slightly less sticky and more uniform but still quite soft. Cover the bowl and leave for 2 hrs in a warm place to rise.
Gently punch down the dough then repeat the kneading process for 2 mins. While you are lifting and folding, add half the chocolate. Cover and leave again for another 45 mins.
Oil a 33cm x 24cm baking tin with 1 tbsp of oil, then tip in the dough. Fold in the two sides, then flip so the seams are on the bottom. Cover and leave to prove for 1 hr.
Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Drizzle over another 1 tbsp of oil, then dimple the focaccia all over using your fingers and pushing out to the sides if needed. Scatter over the rest of the chocolate, pushing it down a little in places. Scatter over the demerara sugar.
Bake for 5 mins, then turn down the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Cook for 30 mins until risen and golden. Drizzle with a little more oil, cover loosely with foil and cool for 20 mins before scattering over sea salt flakes to finish.
