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Stephanie

Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Focaccia

This lemon blueberry sourdough focaccia is made with sourdough discard, active dry yeast, fresh blueberries, lemon zest, lemon sugar, and a simple lemon glaze for a soft, airy sweet focaccia.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Lemon Focaccia Dough
  • ⅔ cup sourdough discard unfed and at room temperature, 150 grams
  • 1 ½ cups warm water 350 grams
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 7 grams
  • 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 40 grams
  • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour 500 grams
  • 1 ¾ teaspoons fine salt or 2 teaspoons kosher salt 10 grams
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled, 40 grams
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 grams
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened or melted, for greasing the pan, 28 grams
  • 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries about 220 to 225 grams, divided
Lemon Sugar Topping
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 25 grams
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, 28 grams
Lemon Glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar 120 grams
  • 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract optional

Method
 

  1. Add the warm water, active dry yeast, and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Stir gently and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the yeast begins to look foamy.
  2. Add the sourdough discard, lemon zest, and vanilla. Stir until mostly combined.
  3. Add the flour, salt, and melted butter. Mix until all of the flour is hydrated and a sticky, shaggy dough forms.
  4. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
  5. With damp hands, perform a set of stretch-and-folds around the dough. Cover and rest for another 30 minutes.
  6. Add 1 cup of the blueberries over the dough. Perform another gentle set of stretch-and-folds, carefully incorporating the blueberries without crushing them more than necessary.
  7. Cover and rest for 30 minutes. Perform one final gentle set of stretch-and-folds.
  8. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until noticeably puffy and increased in volume.
  9. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan generously with the softened or melted butter.
  10. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and gently stretch it toward the corners. If the dough springs back, let it rest for about 10 minutes before stretching it again.
  11. Cover and let the dough rise for about 45 to 60 minutes, or until very puffy and bubbly.
  12. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  13. Brush the risen dough with the melted butter.
  14. Use your fingertips to press deep dimples across the entire surface.
  15. Scatter the remaining ½ cup of blueberries over the top, pressing them lightly into the dimples.
  16. Combine the sugar with the zest of 1 lemon. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips until fragrant.
  17. Sprinkle the lemon sugar evenly over the focaccia.
  18. Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, or until golden around the edges and baked through.
  19. Let the focaccia cool for about 15 to 20 minutes.
  20. Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and optional vanilla until smooth.
  21. Drizzle the lemon glaze over the slightly warm focaccia.
  22. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

Fresh blueberries are preferred because they hold their shape better and photograph more cleanly.
Frozen blueberries can be used, but they may bleed more color into the dough.
Keep lemon juice out of the dough itself. The lemon zest provides strong flavor without changing the dough hydration.
Using blueberries both inside and on top gives blueberry flavor throughout while keeping the finished focaccia visually appealing.
The lemon sugar adds a lightly crisp, fragrant top before the glaze is added.
The glaze should be thick enough to drizzle but not so thin that it disappears into the bread.
This recipe is a good fit for winter focaccia interest, but the lemon blueberry flavor also works well for spring and summer.