Maple + Butter Sourdough Focaccia
We simply love a focaccia recipe, as it relies on time rather than technique. A long bulk ferment develops flavour and structure, while deep dimpling allows the maple–butter mixture to move through the dough as it bakes. The result is a focaccia that’s rich and deeply golden, with crisp edges, a soft interior. The sweetness is perfectly measured, making it well suited to an afternoon tea, eaten warm on its own or with a generous smear of butter.
I use Spiral Foods maple syrup for its clean flavour and mineral depth, which holds its character through a hot bake. A good maple matters here; lower-quality syrups tend to burn before the crumb is fully set.
The salt is just as important. Salt of the Earth Celtic sea salt, both sourced through Part & Parcel, brings a rounded salinity that sharpens the sweetness without flattening it.
If you’d like to source the maple syrup or Celtic sea salt used here, both are available through Part & Parcel. Use code ALICIA20 for $20 off your order🤎
Ingredients
Dough
500 g organic bakers flour
390 g filtered water
100 g active sourdough starter (100% hydration)
10 g Celtic sea salt
20 g extra virgin olive oil
Topping
60 g grass-fed butter
60ml pure maple syrup
Flaky sea salt
Method
In a large bowl, mix the flour, water, active starter, salt, olive oil. Mix by hand until the dough is cohesive, glossy, and stretchy. It should feel loose but not soupy.
Cover and rest the dough for 30 minutes.
Perform two coil folds, keeping them gentle. The first should be a centred lift; the second very light. Stop once the dough begins to hold some shape.
Cover the dough and leave it to bulk ferment at room temperature overnight. By morning, it should be aerated, relaxed, and increased in volume, with visible bubbles throughout. It should wobble when the bowl is shaken, but not look collapsed.
The next morning, generously oil a glass baking dish and gently tip the dough into it. Ease the dough toward the corners with oiled hands. If it resists, rest for 10 minutes and continue. Do not force it.
Cover loosely and allow the dough to proof until domed, visibly aerated, and jiggly, with bubbles appearing near the surface.
Melt the butter gently and stir through the maple syrup. Allow the mixture to cool until warm but not hot.
Oil your hands well and dimple the dough deeply and confidently. Spoon the maple–butter mixture over the surface, letting it pool into the dimples. Finish with a pinch of flaky salt.
Preheat the oven to 230°C. Bake the focaccia for 30–35 minutes, rotating if needed, until the edges are deeply golden and the centre is fully set.
Remove from the oven, rest for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
