Chocolate Cherry Focaccia

Time for a potluck dessert -- I decided to make another sweet sourdough flatbread. This one is a Chocolate Cherry Focaccia. It uses the about same base dough as my recent Apple Cinnamon Flatbread, but I did not make up the dough the night before.

Ingredients:

Dough

• 8 1/2 ounces sourdough starter, fed or unfed
• 3/4 cup lukewarm water
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 12.75 ounces All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
    

Topping

• 1 cup dried cherries, cut in half
• 1/2 cup craisins (optional)
• 1 cup boiling water (or so, to cover the dried fruit)
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp. turbinado sugar (coarse sugar)
• 2 tbsp regular sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
     

Drizzle

• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 Tbs. of reserved juice
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1. For the Dough: Combine starter and water in stand mixer bowl. Mix in yeast, and 1 cup of flour. Let proof for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Mix in rest of flour, salt, milk, and oil, and knead them in mixer to make a smooth, soft dough.
3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, and let it rise for 1 hour. 
4. Gently deflate it, and allow it to rise for another hour; it should have at least doubled in bulk, or come close to it.
   (Re-hydrate the dried fruit while the dough is rising.)
     
5. For the topping: Place the cherries and craisins in a bowl with 1 cup boiling water - let them re-hydrate for 15 minutes or so while the dough is on its second rise.
6. Drain the fruit, reserving the juice. Set the fruit aside to cool while the dough is rising.
7. Using cooking spray, lightly grease an 18" x 13" rimmed baking sheet (half-sheet pan). 
8. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil atop the spray; the spray keeps the bread from sticking,the olive oil gives the bottom crust crunch and flavor.
9. Press the dough on the pan, pat out to fill pan. If needed, let sit 10 to 15 minutes and press again to fill corners. 
10. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the dough. Spread the cherry/craisin pieces over the dough.
    (Keep the chocolate chips from the pan edge - they may burn there.)
11. Mix the coarse and regular sugar with the cinnamon, sprinkle over the dough.
12. Dimple the surface of the focaccia using your fingertips.
13. Allow the dough to rise again for 30 minutes. Preheat to 425º during last 15 minutes,
14. Bake the bread for about 25 minutes. 
15. Remove from oven, let cool for 5 to 10 minutes on a rack.
16. Using a couple of large spatulas, move the bread from the pan to a cutting board.
    
      
17. For the Drizzle: Sift the powdered sugar to remove any lumps.
18. Mix the powdered sugar with 2 Tbs. of reserved juice, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 tablespoon cocoa powder.
19. Scrape the drizzle into a ziplock bag, cut off a small corner piece. Pipe the drizzle over the bread.



20. Slice into 3 x 3 inch pieces. (Depending on size, makes about 24 pieces)

Carole's Notes:

This turned out well. (Doug said it tasted like a breakfast pastry you would get at Panera, which sounds good to me!)

A couple of the chocolate chips touching the edge of the pan seemed a bit burnt - so keep your chips away from the pan edge, or mix them into the dough.

The recipe was lightly adapted from my recent Apple Cinnamon Flatbread which is derived from http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/cinnamon-apple-flatbread-recipe