Pull-Apart Focaccia (Sourdough or Yeast)

• portionen: 27 servings
• gesamtzeit: 30 minutes

Zutaten

500 g bread flour (4 cups plus 2 tablespoons)

400 g water (1⅔ cups)

75 g active sourdough starter (for sourdough version) (⅓ cup)

10 g fine sea salt (2 teaspoons)

.....

150 g chunk chicken, drained (5 oz or about 1 can)

120 g cream cheese, softened to room temperature (½ cup)

30 g ranch dressing (2 tablespoons)

45 g Frank’s Red Hot sauce (3 tablespoons)

50 g shredded cheddar cheese (⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon)

56 g melted butter (4 tablespoons)

60 ml avocado oil or olive oil (light tasting) (4 tablespoons or ¼ cup)

....

3 g dried parsley (1 teaspoon)

150 g finely grated Parmesan cheese (1½ cups)

24 g cornstarch (3 tablespoons)

.....

Ranch Drizzle:

60 g mayonnaise (¼ cup)

30 g buttermilk (2 tablespoons)

8 g ranch seasoning (1 tablespoon)

5 g lemon juice (½ teaspoon)

Additional buttermilk to thin as needed

.....

Blue Cheese Drizzle:

60 g sour cream (¼ cup)

35 g blue cheese crumbles (¼ cup)

15 to 20 ml regular milk (1 to 1.5 tablespoons)

1 g salt (pinch)

5 g lemon juice (1 teaspoon)

Black pepper to taste

Anweisungen

MAKE THE FOCACCIA DOUGH (SOURDOUGH VERSION):

In a large mixing bowl, combine 500g bread flour, 400g water, 75g active sourdough starter, and 10g salt. Mix until a shaggy dough forms with no dry flour remaining.

Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rest (autolyse) for 30 to 45 minutes.

Perform a stretch and fold: wet your hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. Do this 4 times (one complete rotation). Cover and rest for 30 minutes.

Perform one more stretch and fold using the same technique. Cover the bowl.

Bulk fermentation: Let the dough ferment at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours, or until doubled to tripled in size. Watch the dough, not the clock. Kitchen temperature will affect fermentation time.

MAKE THE BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP FILLING:

While dough is bulk fermenting, make the buffalo chicken dip filling. Heat drained chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through.

Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook, stirring, until well blended and warm.

Mix in half the shredded cheddar cheese (reserve remaining for optional garnish).

Transfer mixture to a bowl and let cool completely to room temperature. This is critical. The filling must be cool before using or it will melt the butter in your dough. Once cooled, stir to check consistency. It should be thick and spreadable like paste, not runny.

SHAPE THE DOUGH BALLS:

Lightly oil your work surface. Turn out the fermented dough onto the oiled surface.

If the dough is too sticky, perform one stretch and fold to build structure, then gather it into a loose ball. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into 27 equal pieces (approximately 36 to 37g each, about 2 tablespoons of dough, slightly smaller than a golf ball). You can use a kitchen scale for accuracy.

You can just grab a hunk off of the dough ball or if you want it to be more accurate you can shape each piece into a ball by gathering the edges underneath and rolling gently on the counter with a cupped hand.

COAT THE DOUGH BALLS:

Prepare the butter dip: In a small bowl, whisk together 56g melted butter, 60ml oil, and 3g dried parsley until combined.

Prepare the Parmesan coating: In a separate shallow bowl, mix together 150g finely grated Parmesan cheese and 24g cornstarch until well combined.

Prepare a 9x13 inch baking pan by lining with parchment paper and brushing generously with olive oil or butter.

Take one dough ball and dip it into the butter oil parsley mixture, coating all sides.

Roll the coated ball in the Parmesan cornstarch mixture until well coated.

Place the coated ball seam side down in the prepared pan.

Repeat with all remaining dough balls, arranging them in rows in the pan (typically 5 to 6 rows). They should be close but not quite touching.

FINAL PROOF:

Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel.

Let the dough balls proof for 1 to 2 hours at room temperature, or until they are puffy and touching each other. They should look noticeably larger and feel soft when gently pressed.

To test if focaccia is properly proofed: Gently press a fingertip into the dough. If the indentation slowly springs back halfway, it’s ready. If it springs back quickly, it needs more time. If it doesn’t spring back at all, it may be slightly overproofed but will still bake fine.

ADD BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP:

Once the dough balls are fully proofed and puffy, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).

Using a small spoon or cookie scoop, take approximately ½ tablespoon to 1 tablespoon of the cooled buffalo chicken dip filling and place it on top of each dough ball.

Using your finger or the back of a spoon, gently press the buffalo chicken dip down into the center of each dough ball, creating a dimple. The dip should sink into the dough but not break through the bottom.

Continue until all dough balls have buffalo chicken dip pressed into them.

BAKE:

Bake in the preheated 425°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the tops and bottoms are golden brown and crispy.

If the tops begin to get too dark before the baking time is complete, loosely cover with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes.

The internal temperature should read about 190 to 200°F when fully baked.

MAKE THE DRIZZLE AND SERVE:

While the focaccia bakes, make your choice of drizzle.

For Ranch Drizzle: Whisk together 60g mayonnaise, 30g buttermilk, 8g ranch seasoning, and 5g lemon juice. Thin with additional buttermilk to drizzle consistency.

For Blue Cheese Drizzle: Mix 60g sour cream, 35g blue cheese crumbles, 15 to 20ml milk, 1g salt, 5g lemon juice, and black pepper until smooth and pourable. Add more milk as needed.

Remove the focaccia from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

Drizzle generously with ranch or blue cheese dressing (or both!) while still warm.

Serve immediately. Pull apart individual rolls and enjoy!