Sweet Focaccia with Strawberry Jam and Cream Cheese Glaze

Homemade Strawberry Jam

1. Macerate the Berries: In a saucepan, combine the sliced fresh strawberries with caster sugar, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest. Gently massage the mixture with your hands until the berries are thoroughly coated. Allow the berries to sit and macerate for at least 1 hour at room temperature. This crucial step encourages the strawberries to release their natural juices, intensifying their flavor and ensuring a lusciously thick jam.

2. Cook the Jam: Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the berry mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Continue cooking until the jam reaches your desired consistency – it should be thick and glossy. For a smoother jam, you can mash the berries with a potato masher during cooking. Once cooked, let it cool completely.

Assembling the Focaccia

1. Prepare the Pan: Line a 9×13 inch (approx.) baking tin with parchment paper. Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the bottom of the pan.
2. Shape the Dough: Carefully transfer half of your prepared no-knead focaccia dough into the buttered tin. Gently stretch and push the dough with your fingertips to form a rough rectangle, filling the pan without forcing it.
3. Add the Jam Filling: Spread approximately half a cup of your cooled homemade strawberry jam evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
4. Fold and Flip: Gently fold the edges of the dough inward over the jam, enclosing the filling as much as possible. Then, carefully flip the dough over so the seam is underneath.
5. Second Proof: Cover the baking tin with a damp cloth and let the dough rise in a warm spot for 1 to 2 hours. During this time, the dough will become visibly puffy and increase in volume.

6. Preheat Oven & Dimple: While the focaccia is proofing, preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F). Once the dough has risen, gently dimple the entire surface with your fingertips, creating those characteristic focaccia indentations.
7. Drizzle with Olive Oil: Lightly drizzle a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over the dimpled dough. This contributes to a beautiful golden crust and hints of classic focaccia flavor.

Baking & Glazing

8. Bake: Bake the focaccia in the preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until it’s beautifully golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. The internal temperature should be around 95-100°C (205-210°F).

Cream Cheese Glaze

1. Prepare the Glaze: While the focaccia cools, combine softened cream cheese, icing sugar, room temperature butter, full-cream milk, and vanilla paste in a bowl. Whisk vigorously with a hand mixer or by hand until the mixture is completely smooth, creamy, and has a pourable, slightly runny consistency.

9. Cool & Drizzle: Allow the baked focaccia to cool slightly in the pan, then transfer it to a wire rack. Once it has rested for about 30 minutes and is still warm but not hot, generously drizzle the prepared cream cheese glaze all over the top.
10. Slice & Enjoy: Slice the Strawberry Jam Sweet Focaccia into squares or wedges and serve immediately. Prepare for rave reviews!

Yes, you certainly can use good quality store-bought jam for convenience. However, making **homemade strawberry jam** is surprisingly quick and simple, and it truly provides the freshest, most vibrant flavor that elevates this **sweet focaccia** to another level. The difference in taste and texture is well worth the minimal extra effort.

While fresh, in-season strawberries yield the best flavor and color for your jam, frozen strawberries are an excellent alternative when fresh ones are not available. They work beautifully and still produce a delicious homemade jam, ensuring you can enjoy this recipe year-round.

My famous no-knead focaccia dough is revolutionary because it requires no intensive kneading whatsoever. Instead of physical labor, you simply mix the ingredients until combined and allow a long, slow fermentation process to develop the gluten and create the dough’s signature light and airy texture. Time does all the hard work for you!

Traditional savory focaccia is typically baked on a generous layer of olive oil, which imparts a distinct flavor and crispy bottom. For this **sweet focaccia**, butter is used as the base. It gives the focaccia a wonderfully golden, slightly caramelized crust and a richer, more dessert-like flavor profile that perfectly complements the sweet jam and creamy glaze.

Absolutely! This **sweet focaccia recipe** is incredibly versatile. Raspberry, blueberry, apricot, peach, or even a mixed berry jam would work wonderfully. Each fruit will impart its own unique flavor profile, allowing you to customize the focaccia to your taste and the season. Feel free to experiment and discover your favorite combinations!

To check if your jam has reached the desired consistency, place a small plate in the freezer for a few minutes. Spoon a small amount of hot jam onto the cold plate, let it sit for 30 seconds, then push it with your finger. If it wrinkles, it’s ready. If not, continue cooking for a few more minutes and test again.

Strawberry Jam Sweet Focaccia with Cream Cheese Glaze

Strawberry Jam

• 18 oz fresh strawberries, sliced
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp lemon zest

Glaze

• 3 oz cream cheese, room temp
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 2 tbsp butter, room temp
• 1 tbsp milk, full cream
• 1 tsp vanilla paste

Focaccia Dough

• 700 g bread flour
• 680 g lukewarm water (100°F / 34°C) – 98% hydration
• 7 g dry yeast
• 12 g fine sea salt
• 1 tsp honey
• 2 tbsp butter, melted (for pan)
• 1 tbsp olive oil (for drizzling)

Strawberry Jam

1. Macerate: Place the sliced strawberries in a saucepan and add the sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Massage the sugar and juice into the strawberries with your hands and leave to sit for 1 hour, or until the natural juices have been released.
2. Cook: Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the berry mixture to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the jam is at your desired consistency.
3. Cool: Store any leftover jam in a sterilised jar with a tight-fitting lid and keep it in the fridge for up to 14 days. Enjoy!

Glaze

1. Mix: Add all ingredients (cream cheese, icing sugar, butter, milk, vanilla paste) to a bowl and mix with a hand-held mixer or by hand until well combined. The consistency should be quite runny and smooth.

Focaccia Dough & Assembly

1. Activate Yeast: In a medium bowl, stir together the lukewarm water, dry yeast, and honey with a whisk. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy, indicating the yeast is active.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large separate bowl, whisk together the bread flour and fine sea salt. Pour the activated yeast mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring with a spoon or your hands until a wet, sticky dough forms and no dry spots remain.
3. First Proof & Stretch and Fold: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let it rest for 10 minutes. Afterward, with damp hands, gently stretch a portion of the dough and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat this stretching and folding action three more times. Cover the dough again for another 10 minutes. Repeat this stretch and fold process at least 3-4 times, every 10-15 minutes, until the dough begins to strengthen and hold its shape. On the final stretch and fold, continue until the dough forms a cohesive ball.
4. Cold Fermentation (1st Proof): Lightly coat a clean bowl with olive oil. Transfer the dough to this bowl and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 12 to 72 hours. This long, cold fermentation develops incredible flavor. You will only need half of the dough for this recipe; slice it in half and reserve the other portion for another focaccia recipe or freeze it.
5. Second Proof (with Jam): Line a 9×13 inch baking tin with baking paper and drizzle the 2 tablespoons of melted butter evenly over the bottom. Gently transfer half of your cold focaccia dough into the tin, stretching it softly with your fingertips to a rough rectangle. Spread about half a cup of the cooled strawberry jam over the dough, leaving a small border. Fold the edges of the dough over the jam to enclose it, then gently flip the dough over so the seam is underneath. Cover the tin with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 to 2 hours, until puffy.
6. Preheat Oven: While the dough finishes its second rise, preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F).
7. Dimple & Bake: Once the dough has completed its rise, gently dimple the entire surface with your fingers. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
8. Rest & Glaze: Allow the baked focaccia to cool slightly in the baking tin, then transfer it to a wire rack to rest for 30 minutes. While it’s still warm but not hot, generously drizzle the prepared cream cheese glaze all over the top. Slice into squares or wedges and serve immediately.

• Dough Preparation: Remember that the no-knead focaccia dough requires a significant amount of time for its first proof in the refrigerator (12-72 hours). Plan accordingly! You can prepare the dough days in advance.
• Yeast Options: This recipe uses dry yeast that needs activation in water. If you prefer to use instant yeast, there’s no need to activate it separately; simply whisk it into the dry ingredients along with the flour and salt, then add the water and honey.
• Flour Substitution: While bread flour is recommended for its high protein content, which contributes to the focaccia’s chewy texture, all-purpose flour can be used as a substitute if bread flour is unavailable. The texture may be slightly different but still delicious.
• Leftover Jam: Any remaining **homemade strawberry jam** can be stored in a clean, airtight jar in the fridge for up to 10 days, or frozen in small containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.