Apple Pie Sourdough Focaccia with Pie Crust Crumbles
This Apple Pie Sourdough Focaccia is like a warm, buttery apple pie crossed with soft, chewy sourdough bread! It’s loaded with cinnamon-sugar apples and crunchy pie crust crumbles, making it an irresistible fall dessert.
Servings 24 pieces
Calories 130kcal
Equipment
- 9"x13" aluminum baking pan or two 9" round or 8" square pans
- Straight-sided container (optional)
Ingredients
Sourdough Focaccia
- 1 ¾ cups (420 grams) water
- ½ cup (100 grams) active sourdough starter or "fresh" discard (ideally less than 3 days old)
- 4 cups (480 grams) bread flour
- 3 ½ teaspoons (10 grams) Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt reduce to 1 ¾ teaspoons if using Morton's brand or table salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Sautéed Cinnamon Apples
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium apple peeled, cored, and diced into ¼-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt reduce to ⅛ teaspoons if using Morton's brand or table salt
Pie Crust Crumbles
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt use just a pinch if using Morton's brand or table salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, cut into small pieces
Instructions
- Feed your sourdough starter 6–12 hours before mixing the dough. It should be bubbly, active, and ready to use. In a cooler kitchen (60–65°F), it may take closer to 12 hours, while a warmer kitchen (around 75°F) may only take about 6 hours.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the water and active sourdough starter. Add the bread flour and kosher salt, then mix with your hands until well combined and no dry flour remains. The dough will be very wet and sticky. Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes.1 ¾ cups (420 grams) water, ½ cup (100 grams) active sourdough starter, 4 cups (480 grams) bread flour, 3 ½ teaspoons (10 grams) Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
- With a wet hand, grab one edge of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat, working your way around the dough until you've completed about 16 folds. Cover and let the dough rest for 15 minutes, then repeat the stretch-and-fold process every 15 minutes for a total of 6 sets. As you work, the dough should become smoother, more elastic, and easier to handle.
- Cover the dough and let it rise at room temperature until it is nearly doubled in size, noticeably puffy, and filled with bubbles. This can take anywhere from 4–12+ hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the strength of your starter.
- While the dough is bulk fermenting, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the diced apple and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and stir until the sugar melts and forms a thick syrup. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 medium apple, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add 2 tablespoons of cold, cubed butter and use your fingers, a fork, or a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour until crumbly. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.¼ cup all-purpose flour, ⅛ teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Brush the parchment and sides of the pan generously with the 4 tablespoons of melted butter. Gently transfer the dough to the prepared pan, turning it over so it's coated in butter. Using lightly buttered fingertips, carefully stretch the dough toward the edges of the pan. If the dough resists or springs back, cover it and let it rest for 10 minutes before gently stretching it again.4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Cover the pan and let the dough proof at room temperature until it is noticeably puffy and airy, about 2–4 hours.
- About 20 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 375°F with a rack positioned in the center. Once the dough is fully proofed, drizzle the cooled cinnamon apples evenly over the surface. Use your fingertips to gently spread the apples over the dough, then press your fingers into the dough to create dimples and distribute the apples throughout. Sprinkle the pie crust crumbles evenly over the top.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the focaccia is deeply golden brown and cooked through.
- Let the focaccia cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer it to a wire rack and let it cool for about 20 minutes more. Cut into squares and serve.
Using a straight-sided container makes it easier to see how much the dough has risen.
Make sure the melted butter isn't too hot before adding the dough.
For a more developed flavor, you can refrigerate the dough overnight after shaping it in the pan. The next day, let it come back to room temperature and finish proofing until puffy before adding the toppings.
Notes
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1piece | Calories: 130kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3.5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 186mg | Potassium: 39mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Calcium: 8.5mg | Iron: 1.3mg
Did you try this recipe?Let me know! Comment below, or take a picture and tag me on Instagram @everydayhomemadebyashley.
