Focaccia Dolce alle Mele | Sweet Apple Dessert Focaccia Recipe

Somewhere between a focaccia and a cake, this apple dessert is a delicious treat that can be made in almost no time. Like other Italian apple cakes, the dough is mostly made with apples and only a little flour, creating a soft texture that never suffers from “dry cake syndrome." Unlike traditional focaccia, this recipe requires no rising time so it’s a quick way to whip up an incredible dessert.

Focaccia Dolce alle Mele | Sweet Apple Dessert Focaccia Recipe

Traditionally the focaccia is given a bit of punch from a special, soft Genovese cheese. This cheese is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to find outside of Genoa. A good substitute is Greek yogurt or, even better, skyr yogurt.

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FOCACCIA DOLCE ALLE MELE RECIPE

Makes: 6 servings

Cook Time: 1 hour

For this recipe, you will need:

• 4 large apples

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 2 tablespoons (20 g) pine nuts

• ½ cup (80 g) raisins

• 6 ½ tablespoons (80 g) granulated sugar, divided

• 2 large eggs

• ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

• ⅓ cup (100 g) skyr or Greek yogurt

• A pinch of salt

• 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons (10 g) baking powder

• Powdered sugar for topping (optional)

Peel, core and quarter the apples, then slice them very thin (we recommend using a mandolin). In a large bowl, mix the apples with the lemon juice, pine nuts, raisins, and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Set aside for later.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining 3 ½ tablespoons of sugar and the eggs. Beat with a hand mixer until the eggs are off-white and very creamy. Next, mix in the olive oil, yogurt, and salt. When the oil is well-incorporated, finish by mixing in the flour and baking powder.

Preheat the oven to 355° F (180° C).

Line a medium baking tray (about 15x10 inches or 38x25 cm) with non-stick parchment paper. When working with liquid batters, it can be helpful to wet the paper then squeeze it out so that it lies flat in the try and along the sides.

Add the apple mix into the batter and stir all together. Pour the apple batter into the tray and spread it out evenly with a spatula.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top of the focaccia is golden. Let it cool to room temperature before dusting with powdered sugar and serving. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to two days.

Buon appetito!