Recipe by Lacey Ostermann

A Sweet-Savoury Twist!

When it comes to reimagining classics, Lacey is the master of this. Her Peach Crumble Focaccia is a perfect example – where the rustic soul of Italian bread meets the delicate sweetness of summer peaches, all brought into a bold balance with a finishing touch of Maldon Sea Salt flakes. This isn’t just a dessert or bread – it’s a conversation starter, a seasonal centrepiece, and a love letter to texture and contrast.

Mix:

1. Whisk together warm water, olive oil, honey (or sugar) and yeast. Every bread flour absorbs a different amount of water, so start with 390ml water and reserve the rest for later.
2. Stir in bread flour and salt until well combined. Add in remaining water gradually to achieve a dough consistency similar to that shown in the video. Cover and rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Stretch & Fold and First Proof:

1. Stretch & fold the dough. First, wet your hand (so the dough doesn’t stick) and then grab the dough at the 12 o’clock position in the bowl. Pull the dough upwards and then fold it down to the 6 o’clock position. Repeat this motion about 8-10 times around the bowl. The dough should tighten up a bit after performing the stretch & folds. Cover and rest at room temp for 15 minutes.
   
2. Repeat the series of stretch & folds once more, cover and proof at room temperature for 1-1.5 hours or until the dough has nearly doubled in size.

Prepare the Cinnamon Filling / Topping:

1. First, brown the butter. Melt the butter in a medium frying pan over a medium high heat and then turn it to a simmer, stirring every 30 seconds or so to ensure the butter isn’t burning on the base of the pan. You’ll hear the bubbles from the butter sizzle as the water evaporates off of it but the sizzling will stop as the butter starts to foam up. Once this happens, look at the colour of the foam…you’ll start to notice lightly browned specks in the butter. Give the butter another good stir and remove from the heat. The butter should be a lovely golden brown (not dark brown – be careful as it can burn quickly!).
2. Once the butter is browned, stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, a pinch of Maldon Sea Salt and vanilla until well combined.

Transfer to Tray and Second Proof:

1. Prepare a metal baking tray (see dimensions above in equipment list) with non stick parchment paper and 2 tablespoons of melted butter. I put a tiny bit of oil underneath the paper so it stays in place on the tray.
2. Tip the dough into the prepared tray and gently stretch the dough into an even layer so it reaches the edges of the tray. Spread half of the cinnamon filling all over the dough in an even layer and then fold one side of the dough towards the middle. Repeat with the other side, folding it over the top as if you are folding a piece of paper into thirds (it will look like a large burrito).Rotate the dough so its long side aligns with the long side of the tray, then flip it over so the seams from the folding are at the bottom and the top is smooth.
3. Cover the dough with a piece of oiled parchment paper and leave it to proof at room temperature for 1-1.5 hours.

Prepare the Peaches and Crumble

1. Cube 2/3 of the peaches and cut the remaining peach into attractive slices. Set aside.
2. Mix together the flour and both types of sugar and slowly drizzle in the melted butter. Stir with a spoon until all of the flour/sugar has absorbed the butter. It will be a crumbly consistency. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

Dimple and Bake

1. Preheat oven to 220C/430F and move the baking rack to the lowest position.
2. Just before dimpling the dough, coat the chopped peaches with the remaining cinnamon filling in the frying pan. If the butter has solidified, you may need to reheat it briefly to make coating the peaches easier. Spread the cinnamon coated peaches evenly over the dough and dimple them in. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the dough. Coat the peach slices in any
   extra cinnamon filling that remains in the pan and then push them into the dough. Finish with a sprinkle of Maldon Sea Salt Flakes – the perfect delicate hit of salt to balance all the sweet!
3. Bake on the lowest rack of the oven for 22-26 minutes or until the crumble is golden brown and the peaches are starting to caramelise. Remove from baking tray and transfer to a cooling rack.
4. Best enjoyed the day of baking but can be stored in a large plastic freezer bag or in an airtight container for up to two days. To bring back to life, wrap a portion in foil and bake at 220C/400Ffor 15 minutes or until heated through. Peel back the foil on top for the last few minutes to crisp up the crumble topping. Enjoy!