I’m excited to share a unique twist on classic focaccia bread—Sourdough Pretzel Focaccia. Imagine the delightful combination of soft, airy focaccia bread with a pretzel-inspired crust. This variation is less oily than traditional focaccia, making it ideal as a hand-held treat. The subtle pretzel flavors complement the natural tanginess of sourdough and enhance the bread’s inherent sweetness. This version of a focaccia has slowly snuck its way to becoming one of my favorite focaccia creations to date!
Baking Tips
Streaky Pretzel Crust
To prevent streaky pretzel crust, which can occur with a thin application of baking soda wash, generously brush on multiple coats of the baking soda solution. Using a silicone brush can also help prevent “paint brush stroke” streaks.
Undercooked bottom crust
I highly recommend using a cast iron skillet like medium size baking dish like an 8×8 pan or a 10″ cast iron skillet (like Lodge), which retains heat well and really does a good job making sure the bottom of the focaccia gets cooked. If you don’t have a a cast iron skillet or if you find the bottom of the focaccia is still undercooked, you can heat it on the stovetop. You can do this either in your cast iron skillet or by transferring it to a regular skillet to create a crisp bottom crust.
Winter baking/proofing
Naturally leavening bread during the winter can be challenging due to the colder weather since the yeast becomes less active in lower temperatures. This inactivity can significantly slow down the proofing process, sometimes even doubling the time it normally takes for the dough to rise adequately.
One way to mitigate the impact of the cold weather on your bread-making process is to create a more conducive environment for the yeast to work efficiently. One easy method that everyone who bakes should have access to is the oven. Simply placing your dough inside the oven and turning the oven lights on can generate a small amount of warmth. The light bulbs in most ovens produce enough heat to raise the internal oven temperature to a more yeast-friendly range, usually around 70-75°F (21-24°C), which is ideal for proofing dough.
This method not only offers a warmer and more stable environment but also protects the dough from drafts or fluctuations in room temperature that could interfere with the rising process. However, it’s important to monitor the oven’s internal temperature if possible, as you don’t want it to become too warm, which might overactivate the yeast and lead to overproofing. If you notice it becoming too warm, simply turn off the oven light and continue to monitor the dough.
Looking for more sourdough focaccia inspiration? Check out these post:
- Scallion Oil Sourdough Focaccia Muffins
- Korean Corn Cheese Sourdough Focaccia
- Salted Egg Yolk Chili Oil Sourdough Focaccia
- Chili Oil Sourdough Focaccia
Sourdough Pretzel Focaccia
Equipment
- medium size baking dish like an 8×8 pan or a 10″ cast iron skillet (like Lodge)
Ingredients
Focaccia dough
- 30 g sourdough starter
- 254 g water
- 6 g salt
- 300 g bread flour
Baking soda wash
- 1/4 cup hot water
- 1 tbsp baking soda
Egg wash
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp water
Toppings
Instructions
- Evening the night before: Combine the sourdough starter, water, and salt. Then, mix in the flour until a sticky dough forms. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and fold the dough over itself, rotating the bowl as you do so. Perform about 6 stretches and folds. Generously drizzle oil over the dough and coat it thoroughly. Cover and let it rise at room temperature overnight for about 8-12 hours.
- The next day: the focaccia dough should have doubled in size and appear somewhat bubbly. Generously coat a cast-iron skillet with olive oil. Flip the proofing bowl containing the focaccia dough upside down and shake gently until the dough releases into the cast-iron skillet.
- Lightly oil your fingers and fold the four sides of the dough into itself (like closing the flaps of a cardboard box). Turn the dough over so it is seam side down, generously drizzle with olive oil, and coat thoroughly. Let it rise for another 4-6 hours. The dough should double in size and spread to fit most of the pan.
- 1 hour before the end of the second rise, make the baking soda wash and generously brush the top of the dough with the wash.
- Preheat the oven to 425F.
- Generously brush the dough again with the baking soda wash. Let it sit for 5 minutes to soak it in. Then, make the egg wash and brush the top of dough with it. Finally, dimple the dough and sprinkle with coarse salt or flakey sea salt.
- Bake the focaccia 25 minutes in the middle rack of the oven. It is ready when the top has turned dark brown.
- Allow the focaccia to cool for 15 minutes in the cast iron skillet before transferring it to a cooling rack. Enjoy fresh.
