Triple Chocolate Focaccia
developed & tested by:
This triple chocolate focaccia is made with melted chocolate, cocoa powder, & chocolate chips. No mixer, no knead, with an overnight or same-day rise, depending on your schedule.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water (between 105-115°F or 40-46°C)
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup warm coffee (freshly brewed medium roast works best)
- ¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 8 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups bread flour
- 1½ teaspoons salt (use fine sea salt or table salt)
Instructions
Mix the Dough & Let it Rise
- Activate the Yeast: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the warm water, active dry yeast, and sugar until it’s dissolved. 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.)
- Melt the Chocolate: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt ¼ cup of the chocolate chips. Set aside to cool slightly until it’s warm, not piping hot.
- Bloom the Cocoa: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the warm coffee, cocoa powder, and melted chocolate until it's dissolved.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: Add the melted chocolate mixture to the activated yeast along with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine everything.
- Add the Dry Ingredients: Add the bread flour and salt, and mix for a minute with a large wooden spoon or silicone spatula until it forms a soft, wet dough.
- Let the Dough Rise: 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.)
- Bulk Fermentation: Transfer the bowl to the fridge for 12-16 hours (for slow, cold fermentation).
Shape, Fill, and Proof the Dough
- Spread four tablespoons of 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 the remaining ¾ cup chocolate chips evenly over the dough.
- Fold the dough in half from a short end. Rotate the dough in the baking dish 90 degrees so the long edges of the dough are parallel with the long edges of 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 2-3 hours, until the dough has really puffed up and jiggles when you shake the baking dish.
Bake the Chocolate Focaccia
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Drizzle the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil evenly over the dough.
- 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 20-25 minutes, or until the focaccia reaches an internal temperature of at least 200°F.
- Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Insert a kitchen thermometer into the center of the loaf, to gauge the temperature of the bottom third. Since the dough is so dark from the cocoa, it's hard to tell when it's done baking just by the color.
Notes
- Storing & Reheating: Store leftovers at room temperature for a few days. To re-melt the chocolate and keep the edges crisp, reheat on a baking sheet at 300°F for 5 to 10 minutes. The microwave works in a pinch, but makes it extra chewy if you don't eat it right away.
- Same-Day Rise: After mixing the dough, do four sets of stretch-and-folds, 30 minutes apart, then let the dough rise at room temperature until puffy and doubled after 1 hour. Then fold in the chopped chocolate, transfer to the pan, and continue with the recipe, letting the dough proof for just 1.5-2 hours.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 slice (of 16)Calories: 257kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 5gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 221mgPotassium: 126mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 6IUVitamin C: 0.001mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 1mg
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