Recipe Overview
This sweet potato focaccia is a soft Tuscan dessert bread enriched with mashed sweet potatoes, lard, eggs, sugar and orange zest. It is delicate enough for breakfast or afternoon coffee, and elegant enough for a dolci lievitati table.
Chef Notes
Let the sweet potatoes cool fully before mixing so the dough does not overheat. The dough should become smooth and elastic before the first rise.
Forno / Pastry Notes
Serve lightly dusted with powdered sugar. For a future variation, connect the dough to the Traditional Biga Starter for deeper fermentation aroma.
Ingredients
Base 1× = 1 large sweet focaccia.
- High-gluten white flour
- Granulated sugar
- white sweet potatoes, boiled and mashed
- Lard
- Fresh yeast: or Active Dry Yeast:
- jumbo eggs
- orange, zest and juice
- Pinch of salt
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Preparation
- Boil and mash the sweet potatoes. Let them cool completely.
- Dissolve the yeast in warm water until creamy, about 10 minutes.
- In a mixer, combine flour, sugar, salt, mashed sweet potatoes, orange zest and juice, lard and eggs.
- Add the yeast mixture and knead until smooth and elastic.
- Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover and let rise for about 1.5 hours.
- Shape into focaccia, place on a greased baking tray and proof again until doubled.
- Bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes. Cool and dust with powdered sugar.
Service Suggestions
- Serve with espresso, cappuccino or tea.
- Dust with powdered sugar after cooling.
- Slice for breakfast, brunch or dessert buffet.
Dietary / HACCP Notes
- Contains gluten and eggs.
- Contains pork fat if using lard.
- Dough is dairy-free as written.
- Cool before dusting with powdered sugar.
Nutrition (per portion, estimate)
| Calories | ~300 kcal |
| Protein | ~7 g |
| Carbohydrates | ~44 g |
| Fat | ~11 g |
| Fiber | ~2 g |
| Cholesterol | ~70 mg |
| Sodium | ~120 mg |