Plum and Gorgonzola Sourdough Focaccia
Ripe Victoria plums, quartered and nestled into the dimples so they caramelise rather than turn to mush, with gorgonzola added in two stages so you get both melted savoury depth and pockets of fresh, creamy tang. Sweet stone fruit against salty, funky blue cheese — this Plum and Gorgonzola Sourdough Focaccia reads savoury through and through.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment
- Baking Tray (9x9in/ 23x23cm) ideally, high-rimmed
Ingredients
Sourdough Focaccia Dough
- 260 g strong bread flour, at least 12% protein
- 190 ml water
- 110 g active sourdough starter, 100% hydration
- 5 g salt
- 25 ml olive oil
Toppings
- 200 g plums we used Victoria plums, ripe but firm
- 100 g gorgonzola piccante crumbled, divided
- 3 springs fresh rosemary leaves picked
- drizzle of olive oil
- a small pinch of flaky sea salt go easy — gorgonzola is salty
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon clear honey optional, to finish
Instructions
DAY 1
- First thing in the morning, feed your sourdough starter and leave it in a warm spot to at least double in volume.
Fermentolyse And Mixing The Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, water and active sourdough starter. Mix on low speed for a few minutes until the flour is hydrated. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to fermentolyse for an hour.
- After an hour, scatter the salt on top of the dough. Drizzle over the olive oil and, using your hands, squish the salt and oil into the dough until evenly distributed. Don't run the mixer to do this — the dough will split.
- Once incorporated, mix on medium speed for 10–12 minutes until smooth and elastic. It will be wet but should gather around the dough hook.
Coil Folds, Bulk Fermentation, Cold Proof
- Scoop the dough into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and leave in a warm spot (21–24°C) for 30 minutes.
- Over the next 3 hours, at 30-minute intervals, perform a set of coil folds with wet hands.
- After all 6 sets are done, cover and let the dough finish bulk fermentation undisturbed for 1.5–3 hours, depending on your kitchen's temperature.
- Place the dough in the fridge for 8–24 hours, or overnight.
DAY 2
- Line your 23cm (9-inch) square tray with parchment or grease it generously with olive oil.
Second Rise
- Carefully transfer the dough into the tray, trying not to deflate it, and stretch it into the corners.
- Cover and leave in a warm spot to proof for 1–2 hours, until puffed up with noticeable blisters across the surface.
Prepare The Topping
- Halve each plum along its natural seam and twist to remove the stone. Cut each half into 2–3 wedges (roughly 2cm), depending on size.
- Crumble up the blue cheese into small pieces.
Topping and Baking
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Drizzle olive oil over the surface of the dough. Oil your fingers and dimple deeply, pressing right down to the base of the tray.
- Nestle the plum wedges into the dimples, skin-side down so the cut flesh faces up, pressing gently so each piece is anchored rather than just resting on top.
- Scatter two-thirds of the gorgonzola (about 65g) into the gaps between the plums, along with the rosemary leaves. Add a light pinch of flaky salt and a good crack of black pepper.
- Bake for 22–25 minutes, until deep golden, the plum edges are caramelised, and the cheese is melted and lightly golden in spots.
- Remove from the oven and immediately scatter over the remaining gorgonzola so it melts into soft pockets from the residual heat rather than baking hard. Drizzle with honey if using.
- Cool for at least 15–20 minutes before slicing. Best eaten slightly warm or at room temperature, the day it's baked.
Nutrition
Calories: 195kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 6gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 345mgPotassium: 96mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 172IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 0.4mg
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