Sweet Focaccia with Chocolate and Peanut Butter
developed & tested by:
This no-knead chocolate peanut butter sweet focaccia is made with cocoa powder, chocolate chips, & hot coffee. Make it overnight or same-day in one bowl with no stand mixer required.
Equipment
Ingredients
FOCACCIA DOUGH
- ¾ cup hot, strong coffee
- ¼ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 cup warm water (between 105-115°F or 40-46°C)
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons salt (use fine sea salt or table salt)
FILLING & TOPPING
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter, plus more for drizzling on top
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
Mix the Dough & Let it Rise
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the coffee and cocoa powder until it’s dissolved to bloom it. Set aside for one minute so the coffee can cool a bit before adding the yeast.
- Add the sugar, yeast, and warm water & whisk to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes, until it’s foamy on top. (If it’s not foamy, check your yeast packet, as it might be expired.)
- Add the olive oil and vanilla extract, and stir it into the foamy yeast mixture.
- Add the flour and salt, and mix for a minute with a large wooden spoon or silicone spatula until it forms a soft, wet dough.
- Cover the mixing bowl tightly with plastic wrap (to retain moisture so it doesn't dry out) and let it rise at room temperature for 1 hour. (The dough should begin to rise & grow in size, but it probably won't double by the time it goes into the fridge.)
- Transfer the bowl to the fridge for 12-16 hours (for slow, cold fermentation).
Shape, Fill, and Proof the Dough
- Spread three tablespoons of the olive oil on the bottom and up the sides of a 9x13 baking dish.
- Dump the dough from your mixing bowl onto the center of the baking dish and press it down into all the edges and corners. Spread ½ cup of peanut butter evenly over the dough and sprinkle 1 cup of the chocolate chips on top.
- Fold the dough in thirds from the short ends, like a letter. Lift up the dough, rotate it 90 degrees, and place it back in the baking dish. Spread it out again by pressing it to all the edges with your fingers.
- Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for about 4 hours, until the dough has really puffed up and jiggles when you shake the baking dish.
Bake the Focaccia
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
- Spread the remaining 1 cup of chocolate chips over the dough, then drizzle the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil evenly on top.
- Generously coat your fingers in olive oil (don’t skip this, or else the dough will stick all over your fingers.) Use your fingers to press dimples into the dough, pressing all the way to the bottom of the baking dish. Each indentation should be about 1-inch apart, so you can hold your hands as if you were playing the piano.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the focaccia is puffed up and golden brown. Drizzle with additional peanut butter, slice, and enjoy!
Notes
- Peanut Butter: I recommend using natural pb without added oils, which is thinner and easier to drizzle and spread. If your peanut butter is too thick, warm it in the microwave on 5-10 second intervals, stirring each time until it softens.
- Baking Pan: I like baking this sweet focaccia in a glass or light ceramic baking dish, which has less aggressive heat than metal or dark-colored dish.
- Greasing: You can also grease your baking dish with four tablespoons of melted butter, which tastes great, but can solidify when the cold dough hits it in the pan.
- Same-Day: If you want to make this focaccia all in one day, use the method I share with four series of stretch-and-folds in my almond croissant focaccia recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 slice (of 12)Calories: 485kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 9gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 343mgPotassium: 316mgFiber: 5gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 16IUVitamin C: 0.002mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 4mg
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment below - I love hearing from you!