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A delightful Jam Donut Focaccia Bread Dessert featuring fluffy, glazed buns topped with bright red jam, served on a white plate.
Daniel

Jam Donut Focaccia Bread Dessert

Experience the delightful fusion of fluffy focaccia bread and classic jam donuts in this unique dessert. A soft, sweet dough studded with dollops of fruit jam, baked to golden perfection, then coated in melted butter and sugar.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Course: Bread, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Italian-Inspired
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Focaccia Dough
  • 1 cup whole milk warm (105-115°F / 40-46°C)
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast one standard packet
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil for greasing
For the Jam Filling
  • 1/2 cup raspberry jam or strawberry/apricot, your favorite
For the Donut Coating
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional, for cinnamon sugar)

Equipment

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Stand Mixer with dough hook (optional)
  • 9x13-inch Baking Pan
  • Parchment Paper
  • Small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl
  • Pastry brush

Method
 

Prepare the Dough
  1. In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine the warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Stir gently and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
  2. Add the remaining granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, and salt to the yeast mixture. Pour in the melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract. Using a spoon or dough hook, mix until a shaggy dough forms.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes by hand, or 5-7 minutes with a stand mixer on medium speed, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. It should pass the 'windowpane test'.
First Rise
  1. Lightly grease a clean large bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning once to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
Shape and Second Rise
  1. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy lifting. Lightly grease the parchment paper with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
  2. Gently punch down the risen dough to release air. Transfer it to the prepared baking pan. Using your fingertips, gently stretch and press the dough to evenly fill the pan.
  3. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let it rise in a warm place for another 30-45 minutes, or until visibly puffy.
Bake the Focaccia
  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Once the dough has completed its second rise, lightly oil your fingertips and gently press deep dimples all over the surface of the dough. These dimples will hold the jam.
  3. Spoon small dollops of jam into each of the dimples. You can vary the size and amount to your liking.
  4. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the focaccia is golden brown on top and cooked through.
Apply Donut Coating
  1. While the focaccia is still warm from the oven, melt the 1/4 cup of butter for the coating. In a separate shallow dish, combine the 1/2 cup granulated sugar with the optional 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
  2. Generously brush the entire surface of the warm focaccia with the melted butter. Immediately sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the top.
  3. Let the Jam Donut Focaccia cool slightly in the pan before lifting it out using the parchment paper. Transfer to a cutting board, slice, and serve warm.

Notes

This focaccia is best enjoyed warm on the day it's made. If you have leftovers, you can gently reheat them in a toaster oven or microwave. Feel free to experiment with different jam flavors like apricot, blackberry, or even a citrus curd for a twist.