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An Irresistible Recipe for Fig and Mandarin Focaccia
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This focaccia has it all: bright citrus, sweet dried figs, aromatic herbs, a tender crumb, and a super crispy outer edge. It’s all four seasons rolled into one delectable bite–all thanks to the myriad of flavors grown right here in California. Some shy away from making baked goods since the more precise your measurements the better, but this focaccia is forgiving and is an approachable entry into bread-making.
How is focaccia made?
Making focaccia bread is easier than you think. The bread itself calls for just six simple ingredients – flour, yeast, honey, water, salt and olive oil.
Here’s a super simplified version of the steps required to make focaccia: Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, knead the dough (courtesy of the dough hook on the stand mixer) and allow it to rise.
After the dough has doubled in size, transfer it to a baking dish. Spread the dough across the baking dish, cover and allow it to rise again until it doubles in size again. Then, drizzle the dish with olive oil and use your fingers to create divots. Sprinkle with salt, top with herbs and accoutrements as desired, then bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes and enjoy!
Note: Because there are so few ingredients, quality is crucial. Look for premium California Olive Oil and California honey to ensure the best flavor!
A Word About California Extra Virgin Olive Oil:
Want to be sure your olive oil is fresh, the highest quality, and the real deal? Look for the COOC seal on bottles of California Extra Virgin Olive Oil to make sure you’re getting delicious 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Certified California EVOO uses stricter standards than international requirements, requiring the oil to pass chemical testing and a sensory analysis by a group of experts, called an organoleptic panel evaluation.
Which flour is best for focaccia?
We use bread flour in our focaccia recipe. It has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which results in a chewier, more structured focaccia. If you don’t have bread flour on hand, you can definitely substitute all-purpose flour. It will simply produce a softer, crumblier (but equally delicious) focaccia.
Delicious toppings for focaccia: dried fruit + citrus
This recipe melds savory focaccia with aromatic rosemary, sweet citrus and dried figs. The sweet and savory combination is particularly irresistible, but there are lots of delicious ways to top your focaccia. Other tasty combos include olives and herbs and grapes and rosemary.
If you’re feeling particularly crafty, you can even use CA GROWN fruits, veggies herbs and nuts to create a playful pattern on top of your bread.
Slather your focaccia with Fig and Mandarin Jam!
Figs and mandarins are a match made in heaven. If you’re making this recipe during fresh fig season (typically July-November), go all in on this fabulous flavor pairing! Channel your inner Martha and serve your freshly baked focaccia with a dollop of homemade Fig and Mandarin Jam.
You’ll definitely want to make a big batch of homemade fig jam, so you can enjoy this decadent mash up all year long.
Fig and Mandarin Focaccia
Equipment
- Stand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups water heated to 105-115°F (about 40C)
- 2 tsp California honey
- 1 ¼-oz package active dry yeast
- 500 g about 4 cups bread flour*
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 14 TBSP California extra-virgin olive oil divided (6 TBSP + 1/2 cup | 120 ml)
- ½ cup dried figs de-stemmed and sliced in half
- 2 mandarins zested and sliced thin
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary removed from the stem and divided
- 1 TBSP thyme leaves
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the water and honey. Sprinkle in the yeast then lightly whisk to combine.
- Set aside for 5 minutes, or until the yeast foams.
- To the bowl, add the flour and kosher salt, then mix with a dough hook on a low speed until the flour is hydrated and a shaggy dough forms. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 5 minutes, or until the dough is glossy and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Pour 2 TBSP of the olive oil into a large metal bowl, the brush up the sides. Using a spatula, scrape the sides of the mixer bowl to release the dough into the oiled bowl, then cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rest in a warm corner of the kitchen for 1 ½ hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.
- While the dough is rising, brush a 9×13-inch baking dish with another 2 TBSP of the olive oil.
- Uncover the dough, dip the fingers of one hand in olive oil, then use the oiled hand to gently pull up one side of the dough and fold it back into itself. Continue working around the bowl, folding the edge over and back into the dough, until a loose ball has formed. Transfer to the baking dish, using your fingers to spread the dough into the corners, then cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rest another 45 minutes. Once again it will double in size.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220C). Remove the cover from the dough and drizzle over 2 TBSP of olive oil. Use your fingertips to press down into the dough, all the way to the bottom of the pan, creating divots where the olive oil pools. Top the dough with the dried figs, mandarin slices, half of the rosemary leaves, fresh thyme, and flaky sea salt. Bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly golden on top and crispy around the edges.
- While the focaccia bakes, warm the remaining ½ cup (120 ml) of olive oil, remaining rosemary, and half of the mandarin zest in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes until aromatic, making sure not to fry the rosemary. Pour the infused oil into a bowl and set aside.
- Once cooked, remove the focaccia from the oven and sprinkle over the remaining mandarin zest. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then run a paring knife down the edges to release them from the pan. Enjoy warm, dipped in the infused olive oil!
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Love our Fig and Mandarin Focaccia recipe? Try these recipes next…
Fig and Rosemary Focaccia with Honey Lemon Glaze
If you’re making focaccia while fresh figs are in season (typically July-November), you’ll love this riff on the fig + citrus combo! Our friend Irvin from Eat the Love pairs succulent fresh figs with aromatic rosemary – and then drizzles the whole thing with a sticky, sweet, honey lemon glaze.
Blood Orange, Olive and Shallot Focaccia
Blood oranges lend a stunning pop of color and flavor to this fabulous focaccia, courtesy of our friend Becky at Baking the Goods! If you’re wondering if the contrast between the tangy olives and the sweet blood oranges is too much – it’s definitely just right. This beauty tastes as good as it looks!
Lemon, Leek and Thyme Focaccia
Our friend Becky’s Lemon, Leek and Thyme Focaccia literally screams “spring”. Zesty lemons mingle with the subtly savory leeks and delicate thyme for a dish that will quietly steal the show.
Love geeking out on farm facts? Same! Learn more about how figs are grown in California!
California — it’s a vibe. Check Out this California Grown Spotify Playlist:
Don’t stop here! Follow us on Pinterest for more fresh and fabulous recipe inspiration. Dive into the world of CA GROWN goodness, and let’s make every meal a celebration of the Golden State’s bounty.