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Almond Croissant Sourdough Focaccia cut into squares on a wooden chopping board.

Sourdough Almond Croissant Focaccia

It’s been a while since I was this excited about a new recipe, but one bite of this Sourdough Almond Croissant Focaccia and you’ll understand why. A mash-up of two absolute icons — fluffy sourdough focaccia and famous French bakery almond croissants—this bake is stuffed with a gooey frangipane filling and topped with flaked almonds and icing sugar.
5 from 4 votes
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Prep Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Fermenting and Proofing 14 hours
Total Time 17 hours 55 minutes
Course Bread, Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Sweet Bread
Cuisine American, British, Fusion, Italian
Servings 16 portions
Calories 240 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 330 g strong bread flour with at least 12% protein content
  • 220 ml water
  • 5 g salt
  • 140 g active sourdough starter 100% hydration
  • 15 g olive oil plus extra for greasing

For Frangipane Filling:

  • 100 g unsalted butter softened
  • 100 g caster sugar
  • 150 g ground almonds a.k.a. almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract optional
  • 2 eggs large

Topping:

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. We typically feed our starter in a ratio of 1 part starter: 1 part water: 1 part flour, and it doubles (or even triples) within 4 hours.

Fermentolyse and Mixing The Dough:

  • In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, water and active sourdough starter. Mix the dough in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment for a few minutes on low speed, until the flour is hydrated. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and leave the dough to fermentolyse (a type of sourdough autolyse where sourdough starter is added too) for an hour.
  • After an hour, scatter the salt on top of the dough. Drizzle the olive oil all over, and using your hands, squish the salt and oil into the dough, aiming to distribute it evenly.
  • TIP: Don't be tempted to just mix the oil in by running the stand mixer – the dough will split, separated by oil layers.
  • Once incorporated, run your mixer on medium speed for 10-12 minutes, until you have a very smooth and elastic dough. It will be wet, but should start gathering around the dough hook attachment.

Coil Folds, Bulk Fermentation, Cold Retardation:

  • Scoop the dough into a lightly oiled bowl (we like to use a heavy shallow dish – it helps with coil folds later). Cover the dough with a damp tea towel or cling film (plastic wrap) and leave it in a warm spot for 30 minutes.
  • Over the next 3 hours, at 30-minute intervals, perform a set of coil folds, using wet hands. See the coil folding video below.
  • After all 6 sets of coil folds are completed, cover the dough and let it finish its bulk fermentation undisturbed for 1.5-3 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
  • Place the dough in the refrigerator for 8-24 hours (or simply overnight).

DAY 2:

  • The next day, line a baking tray (approx 24x24cm) with parchment paper, and brush it with a little olive oil. Take the dough out of the fridge and leave it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Frangipane Filling:

  • In the meantime, prepare the frangipane filling. Place the softened butter, almond extract and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
  • One at a time, add the eggs, and beat until well incorporated.
  • Finally, fold in the ground almonds. Set the frangipane filling aside.

Second Proof, Filling and Topping:

  • Very carefully transfer it into the prepared baking tray, trying not to deflate it too much. Stretch it out into the corners of the baking dish.
  • Spread/ or dot half of the frangipane filling onto the surface of one half of the dough. Fold the other half over, and stretch the dough to fit your baking tray again.
  • Cover it with a sheet of cling film (plastic wrap) resting on the rims of the baking tray and leave the dough in a warm spot for its second proof for 1-2 hours.
  • After the second rise, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Dot the remaining frangipane filling on top of the focaccia, aiming to distribute it evenly across the surface.
  • With oiled fingers, dimple the dough, then scatter the flaked almonds all over the top.

Baking and Cooling:

  • Place your sourdough almond croissant focaccia in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes.
  • Once baked, let it firm up in the tray for 5-10 minutes, then lift it out by the overhanging parchment paper, and place it on a wire rack. Slice the parchment paper out from underkneath and allow the focaccia to cool to room temperature.
  • Dust the top with icing sugar, and serve!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 240kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 6gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 131mgPotassium: 53mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 186IUCalcium: 36mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Almond Croissant Sourdough Focaccia, Sourdough Almond Croissant Focaccia, Sourdough Almond Focaccia, Sourdough Focaccia With Frangipane Filling
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