Hello gourmets,
I hope you’re ready to indulge, because we’re about to prepare something substantial—something truly remarkable!
Here is the sweet citrus focaccia!
The Inspiration for This Recipe
I must confide something to you… My parents live in the South of France, and their bakery sells « sugar croissants. » I’m a big fan! I can’t resist buying some every time I visit them.
As you might guess, I attempted to recreate this brioche pastry, but with my own twist. It has a unique texture—very soft, with a delightful balance of sugar and citrus.
Over time, my past attempts had not been successful! Until today…
This recipe is adapted from Here You Go, Chef, proposed by Chef Guillaume Cabrol. I made a few small modifications to make it accessible to everyone, including adjusting the baking time for home ovens and tweaking some ingredients. And voilà!!!
A Word About Chef Guillaume Cabrol
Guillaume Cabrol, a French master baker, has established himself as a key figure in contemporary exceptional baking.
After solid training in pastry, he became captivated by bread—exploring the textures, fermentations, and flavors that only leavened doughs can provide. Throughout his career, he has worked in prestigious establishments, notably at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée in Paris, perfecting his craft in a highly demanding environment.
In 2021, he joined the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris as Head Baker, overseeing the creation of breads and pastries for three Michelin-starred restaurants and prestigious events. His production is distinguished by a perfect mastery of natural sourdough, artisanal flours, and long fermentations.
Among his signature creations are complex sourdoughs, baguettes with exceptional crispness, and meticulously leavened puff pastries, often featuring seasonal or local ingredients. He proudly collaborates with responsible flour producers, favoring ancient grains and French varieties.
Guillaume Cabrol enjoys reinventing classics with a contemporary twist—rustic breads with delicately toasted seeds, focaccias infused with fresh herbs, or extraordinary butter brioche. His vision beautifully merges French tradition with modern sensibility, making each loaf a memorable tasting experience.
Can I Tell You a Little More About This Sweet Citrus Focaccia Recipe?
Now that you know who is behind this recipe, I’m sure you’re salivating! Let me share more details and tips with you…
The Secret Ingredient That Makes All the Difference
You might say, since I’m discussing it, the secret isn’t really a secret anymore… But I’m introducing it this way because it’s the first time I’ve encountered it in a recipe, and it plays a major role in the success of your sweet citrus focaccia.
It’s citrus sugar. Trust me, it’s incredible in its simplicity and flavor!
The Second Key Ingredient
It’s simply olive oil that we’ll add « raw » at the beginning of the kneading, followed by a citrus-flavored version.
Since focaccia is a recipe from southern France, it makes perfect sense to use olive oil. It truly makes all the difference!
Kneading
This is the most crucial step. The more supple your dough is, the softer your sweet citrus focaccia will be and the better it will keep. Don’t hesitate to extend this step compared to what you typically do with other brioche recipes.
If you’ve successfully made my Nanterre brioche with a fluffy crumb, you understand what I mean!
In the Savory Section
I can’t discuss focaccia here without mentioning the savory recipes already available on the blog!
You will find:
the focaccia with thyme and black olives, the focaccia with cherry tomatoes and bacon, and the focaccia with butternut squash and sage.
The Necessary Utensils
A stand mixer with a kneading hook,
Three baking sheets lined with parchment paper,
A 4 cm wide spatula,
And a rolling pin.
Nothing more…
Other Gourmet Ideas
And if you love this sweet citrus focaccia, I’m sure you’ll also be tempted by other brioche delights from the blog.
When I crave an ultra-fluffy crumb with a hint of citrus, I often turn to my Panettone (or Colomba-style Panettone), perfect for festive gatherings. For cozy weekends, nothing beats the generous comfort of The Brioche Babka (by Jeffrey Cagnes), with its delightful swirls of dough.
If you prefer « cake-like » treats, try Cédric Grolet’s Sugar Pie, a marvel of simplicity and indulgence. For an Alsatian flavor at breakfast, I also recommend The Kouglof from my hometown.
And to keep with the citrus theme, but in a more festive version, don’t miss my Easter Chocolate and Citrus Shells, a delightful treat to offer… or to spoil yourself with!
Just to clarify: this is not the sweet focaccia recipe from Aigues-Mortes, which is made with baking powder. The two differ significantly in texture and flavor.
Ready to put on your apron and head to the kitchen? Let’s dive into the sweet citrus focaccia!
The recipe, Chef!
Sweet Citrus Fougasse
( Vote !) 
Loading...Ingredients
- Citrus Sugar
- 60 g of sugar
- The zest of one lemon
- The zest of one orange
- Fougasses
- 40 g of olive oil
- 3 eggs
- 425 g of T45 flour
- 70 g of sugar
- 9 g of salt
- 10 g of dehydrated baker's yeast or 17 g of fresh
- 40 g of orange blossom water
- 60 g of olive oil
- The zest of one lemon
- The zest of one orange
- 125 g of plain yogurt (or Greek)
- Finishing
- 1 egg white
- Icing sugar
Instructions
Citrus Sugar
Mix the sugar and the zest.
Set aside.
Fougasses
Pour the 40 g of oil and the eggs into the bowl of your mixer.
Add the flour, sugar, salt, yeast (without it touching the sugar and salt) and orange blossom water.
Start kneading at low speed for a good 5 minutes.
Then increase to medium speed, continue kneading.
Meanwhile, mix the 60 g of olive oil with the lemon and orange zest. Set aside.
Drizzle the citrus-flavored oil over the dough.
When you have a homogeneous dough, add the yogurt. Knead again. You should obtain a very soft dough that holds its shape.
Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces (use a scale if possible).
Take each piece, place it on a bit of flour and shape it into a ball.
Set aside in the refrigerator for a good 20 minutes.
After this time, retrieve your balls, place them on a floured work surface and roll them out with a rolling pin to achieve an oval shape, thick of 5-6 mm.
Set aside again in the refrigerator for a good 20 minutes.
After this time, retrieve your doughs.
Take a spatula about 4 cm wide, dip the end into a bit of olive oil, and make 7 cuts on each dough (dip the spatula in the oil between each cut).
Stretch the dough a bit to see the shape of your fougasse.
Place your 6 fougasses on 3 baking trays.
Let them rise in a warm and humid environment for 1 hour.
Place the dough on your floured work surface.
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.
Lightly brush your fougasses with egg white.
Mix your citrus sugar to avoid having clumps.
Sprinkle the citrus sugar over the fougasses using a small sieve. Repeat to dust each fougasse twice.
Bake for 10 minutes, until you have lightly golden fougasses.
Upon removing from the oven, sprinkle with icing sugar.
For the recipe in French, go here.
No Comments