Zesty Sourdough Blueberry Lemon Focaccia Recipe for Bread Lovers

Crafting a sourdough blueberry lemon focaccia brings unexpected magic to your baking adventure.

Mediterranean traditions inspire this delightful twist on classic bread making.

Tangy lemons dance with sweet blueberries across a pillowy landscape of crisp dough.

Wild fermentation creates deep, complex flavors that surprise and delight the senses.

Crusty edges and soft interior promise a sensory experience beyond ordinary baking.

Home kitchens become culinary playgrounds when you embrace this creative recipe.

Baking connects us to ancient techniques while celebrating fresh, vibrant ingredients.

Grab an apron and let deliciousness unfold with every carefully crafted bite.

What Goes Well With Sourdough Blueberry Lemon Focaccia

• Pair with Citrus-Infused Cocktails: Complement the bright lemon notes by serving a refreshing limoncello spritz or a zesty gin and tonic with fresh lemon wedges. The cocktail's citrusy profile will echo the focaccia's tangy lemon glaze.
• Match with Creamy Goat Cheese Spread: Create a delightful appetizer by serving the focaccia alongside a whipped goat cheese dip. The tangy cheese will balance the sweet blueberries and provide a creamy contrast to the bread's crispy texture.
• Serve with Lavender Honey Butter: Elevate the focaccia experience by preparing a homemade lavender-infused honey butter. The floral notes will harmonize beautifully with the blueberry and lemon flavors, adding an elegant touch to this rustic bread.
• Complement with Chilled White Wine: Select a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio to accompany the focaccia. These light, acidic wines will cut through the bread's richness and enhance its bright, summery flavor profile.

Tasty Variations Of Sourdough Blueberry Lemon Focaccia

• Herbal Infusion Focaccia: Replace blueberries with fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage. Sprinkle sea salt and cracked black pepper for an aromatic Mediterranean-style bread that pairs perfectly with olive oil dips.
• Berry Medley Focaccia: Swap blueberries with a combination of raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries. Add a light dusting of lavender sugar to enhance the fruity flavor profile and create a vibrant, colorful bread.
• Citrus Olive Focaccia: Incorporate chopped green olives and orange zest instead of blueberries. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and garnish with fresh oregano leaves for a tangy, savory version that celebrates Mediterranean ingredients.
• Savory Harvest Focaccia: Mix in roasted butternut squash cubes, caramelized onions, and crumbled goat cheese. Sprinkle with fresh thyme and pumpkin seeds to create an autumnal-inspired bread with rich, complex flavors.

Your Sourdough Blueberry Lemon Focaccia Questions Answered

• What makes sourdough focaccia different from regular focaccia?

Sourdough focaccia uses a live fermented starter instead of commercial yeast, which creates a more complex, tangy flavor and helps develop a lighter, airier texture with better digestibility.

• Do I need special equipment to make this focaccia?

No, you just need a large mixing bowl, a baking pan, and basic kitchen tools. The stretch and fold technique can be done with clean hands, making it very beginner-friendly.

• Can I use frozen blueberries instead of fresh?

Yes, you can use frozen blueberries, but make sure to thaw and drain them completely to prevent excess moisture from affecting the dough’s texture. Pat them dry with a paper towel before adding to the focaccia.

• How do I know if my sourdough starter is ready to use?

Your starter should be bubbly, have a pleasant sour smell, and double in size within 4-8 hours after feeding. If it meets these criteria, it’s active and ready to use in your focaccia recipe.

Why Sourdough Blueberry Lemon Focaccia Is A Sweet And Savory Treat

• Craft Artisan Bread at Home: Master the art of creating professional-quality sourdough focaccia without complicated techniques, perfect for bakers wanting to elevate their home cooking skills.
• Flexible Fermentation Magic: Enjoy the convenience of a recipe that adapts to your schedule, offering both room temperature and overnight refrigeration options for enhanced flavor development and easy meal planning.
• Burst of Seasonal Freshness: Celebrate summer's bounty with a delightful combination of sweet blueberries and tangy lemon, transforming a classic bread into a vibrant, fruit-studded sensation that feels like a special treat.
• Simple Yet Impressive Dessert: Impress friends and family with a stunning focaccia that looks and tastes gourmet but requires minimal baking expertise, making it an ideal recipe for weekend brunches or casual gatherings.

Ingredients For Sourdough Blueberry Lemon Focaccia

• All-Purpose Flour: The main structure of the focaccia, providing a soft and chewy base.
• Sourdough Starter: Adds tangy flavor and helps the bread rise with natural fermentation.
• Sugar: Feeds the sourdough and helps with browning and flavor development.

• Warm Water: Activates the sourdough starter and helps hydrate the flour.
• Olive Oil: Adds richness, helps with texture, and prevents sticking to the pan.

• Fresh Blueberries: Brings sweet bursts of flavor and adds moisture to the focaccia.
• Lemon Zest: Provides bright, citrusy aroma and complements the blueberries.

• Salt: Enhances overall flavor and controls yeast activity.
• Lemon Juice: Adds tanginess and balances the sweetness.

• Powdered Sugar: Creates a smooth, sweet drizzle for the top of the focaccia.

Simple Steps For Sourdough Blueberry Lemon Focaccia

Step 1: Craft the Dough Base

Grab a spacious mixing bowl and combine your sourdough starter, flour, warm water, sugar, salt, and olive oil. Stir everything until a sticky, promising dough emerges. Cover with a slightly damp kitchen towel and let the mixture relax for half an hour, allowing the ingredients to get acquainted.

Step 2: Develop Gluten Magic

Perform three to four rounds of stretch and fold techniques every half hour over two hours. This process helps strengthen the dough’s structure, creating those dreamy, airy pockets that make focaccia irresistible. Gently lift and fold the dough, rotating the bowl with each movement.

Step 3: Allow Fermentation

Shield the dough and let it rise at room temperature for four to six hours. Watch as it doubles in size, transforming into a puffy marvel. For deeper flavor, you can also slow down the process by refrigerating overnight.

Step 4: Prepare the Baking Surface

Generously coat a 9×13-inch baking pan with olive oil. Tenderly transfer the dough, guiding it to fill every corner. Let the dough rest and rise for one to two hours until it becomes wonderfully puffy.

Step 5: Heat the Oven

Crank up your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. The goal is a perfectly golden, crispy-edged focaccia.

Step 6: Create Flavor Layers

• Lemon zest
• Sugar
• Lemon juice
• Olive oil

Drizzle this vibrant concoction over the dough, promising bursts of bright flavor.

Step 7: Bake to Perfection

Slide the pan into the preheated oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the focaccia turns a gorgeous golden brown with crispy, enticing edges.

Step 8: Optional Lemon Glaze

• Powdered sugar
• Lemon juice
• Lemon zest

Once the focaccia cools, drizzle the glaze, creating a beautiful, tangy finish that’ll make mouths water.

Top Tips For Soft Sourdough Blueberry Lemon Focaccia

• Boost Sourdough Rise: Allow your sourdough starter to reach peak activity before mixing to ensure maximum rise and flavor development in the focaccia.
• Prevent Sticky Situation: Use wet hands when stretching and folding the dough to prevent sticking and make the process smoother and more manageable.
• Maximize Blueberry Distribution: Toss blueberries in a light dusting of flour before adding to prevent them from sinking into the dough during baking.
• Create Perfect Dimples: Gently press your fingertips into the dough with a light touch to create those signature focaccia dimples without deflating the air bubbles.
• Glaze Like a Pro: Wait until the focaccia completely cools before drizzling the lemon glaze to prevent it from melting and ensure a beautiful, crisp finish.

How To Store Sourdough Blueberry Lemon Focaccia Without Losing Freshness

• Preserve your delicious sourdough blueberry lemon focaccia with these easy storage methods.
• Keep freshly baked focaccia at room temperature, wrapped loosely in a clean kitchen towel for up to 2 days.
• Refrigerate the focaccia in an airtight container for extended freshness, lasting 4-5 days.
• Freeze individual slices or the entire loaf by wrapping tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil, which maintains quality for up to 3 weeks.
• Thaw frozen focaccia at room temperature for best texture, and briefly warm in the oven to restore its crispy edges and soft interior.

Sourdough Blueberry Lemon Focaccia Recipe

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4.9 from 15 reviews

• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Sourdough blueberry lemon focaccia brings Mediterranean sunshine to your kitchen, dancing with tangy and sweet flavors. Rustic Italian-inspired bread celebrates summer’s bounty, promising a delightful slice of culinary adventure for bread enthusiasts.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly)
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Wet Ingredients and Sweeteners:

• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup olive oil (plus more for the pan)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Seasoning and Zest:

• 1 teaspoon salt
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

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Instructions

1. Craft a silky, elastic dough by blending sourdough starter with flour, warm water, sugar, salt, and olive oil in a spacious mixing vessel. Allow the mixture to meld and hydrate for half an hour beneath a moisture-laden cloth.
2. Execute rhythmic stretch and fold techniques across 2 hours, performing 3-4 gentle manipulations. These deliberate movements encourage gluten development, yielding a pillowy, sophisticated texture.
3. Permit the dough to undergo a transformative fermentation, expanding voluminously at ambient temperature for 4-6 hours. Alternatively, nestle the mixture in refrigeration for a prolonged, flavor-intensifying slumber.
4. Lavishly anoint a rectangular baking vessel with olive oil. Tenderly transfer the dough, coaxing it into a uniform landscape that embraces every pan crevice. Allow gentle rising and relaxation for 1-2 hours.
5. Orchestrate oven temperatures to a precise 425F, creating an ideal baking environment.
6. Artfully dimple the dough’s surface with fingertips. Distribute blueberries across the terrain, gently embedding them. Whisk together lemon zest, sugar, lemon juice, and olive oil to create a fragrant elixir, then cascade this mixture atop the prepared canvas.
7. Bake until the focaccia achieves a radiant golden complexion with crisp, caramelized edges, approximately 20-25 minutes.
8. For an optional luxurious finale, construct a luminous lemon glaze by whisking powdered sugar with lemon juice and zest until achieving a silky, pourable consistency. Drizzle artfully over the cooled focaccia.

Notes

• Activate your sourdough starter at least 4-6 hours before mixing the dough to ensure maximum rising power and tangy flavor.
• Choose ripe, plump blueberries for the most intense burst of sweetness and a beautiful scattered appearance across the focaccia surface.
• Experiment with different olive oils to add subtle flavor variations, with extra virgin olive oil providing the most robust and fruity undertone.
• Create deeper dimples in the dough for capturing more of the lemon-sugar mixture, which enhances caramelization and adds extra texture to the final bake.
• Allow the focaccia to cool completely before slicing to maintain its delicate interior structure and prevent a gummy texture.
• Swap blueberries with seasonal fruits like raspberries or sliced peaches for a delightful summer twist on the classic recipe.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, or freeze individual slices for quick breakfast or snack options.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 220
• Sugar: 10 g
• Sodium: 200 mg
• Fat: 9 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 31 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg