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A slice of chocolate chip banana bread focaccia on a plate, with more focaccia behind it on a wood cutting board.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Focaccia

Author: Heather Thomas
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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 26 minutes
Resting time: 3 hours
Servings: 16 slices

Equipment

Ingredients

Dough

  • 360 g water (1 ½ cups), room temperature ~74°F/23°C
  • 7 g instant yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons), see notes for sourdough option
  • 40 g honey (2 tablespoons)
  • 240 g mashed ripe bananas (1 cup) 2-3 bananas
  • 8 g fine sea salt (1 ½ teaspoons)
  • 720 g bread flour (6 cups) divided
  • 300 g milk chocolate chips (1 ¾ cups)
  • 56 g extra virgin olive oil (¼ cup) divided
  • 28 g melted unsalted butter (2 tablespoons)

Cinnamon Filling

  • 78 g melted unsalted butter (6 tablespoons)
  • 110 g dark or golden brown sugar (½ cup, packed)
  • 4 g ground cinnamon (2 teaspoons)

Pecan Crumble Topping

  • 40 g all-purpose flour (⅓ cup)
  • 28 g dark or golden brown sugar (2 tablespoons, packed)
  • 15 g granulated sugar (1 tablespoon)
  • 36 g chopped pecans (1/3 cup) optional
  • 28 g melted unsalted butter (2 tablespoons)
  • 28 g extra virgin olive oil (2 tablespoons)
  • 42 g milk chocolate chips (¼ cup)

Instructions

Make the bread dough

  • To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the water, yeast, honey, mashed banana, salt, and half the flour (370 g). Using the dough hook attachment, on low speed, mix together until smooth, about 1 minute. While on low speed, gradually add the remaining flour. Knead the dough on low until a smooth, elastic dough forms, about 5 minutes. Add the chocolate chips and mix just until incorporated.
    360 g water
    7 g instant yeast
    40 g honey
    240 g mashed ripe bananas
    8 g fine sea salt
    720 g bread flour
    300 g milk chocolate chips

Bulk Fermentation

  • In a large bowl, coat the bottom with olive oil. Turn the dough out into the bowl. Turn it so that all sides of the dough are coated in olive oil. Cover and let rest until doubled in size, about 90 minutes to 2 hours. (See Notes for schedule suggestion.)
    28 g olive oil
    A glass bowl with risen chocolate chip banana bread focaccia.

Make the Cinnamon Filling

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Set it aside.
    78 g melted unsalted butter
    110 g dark or golden brown sugar
    4 g ground cinnamon

Fill and Pre Shape

  • Drizzle 28 g (2 tablespoons) olive oil and 28 g (2 tablespoons) melted butter over the 9x13-inch (23x33-cm) pan to coat the bottom. Turn the risen dough out into the pan and flip it so that both sides are coated in the olive oil and melted butter.
    28 g olive oil
    28 g melted butter
  • Stretch the dough to a rectangle (it doesn't have to fill the pan yet). Spread half the cinnamon filling over the dough. Fold the dough in half. Spread the other half of the filling over the dough and fold it in half again. Let the dough relax for 10 minutes. Then stretch the dough to fill the pan.
    Chocolate chip banana bread focaccia in a 9x13-inch metal cake pan, with brown sugar cinnamon filling spread over half the dough.

Final Proof

  • Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until it's puffy and about 1/2-inch from pan level, about 60-90 minutes.

Make the Pecan Crumble Topping

  • In a small bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and chopped pecans. Add the melted butter and stir until combined.
    40 g all-purpose flour
    28 g dark or golden brown sugar
    15 g granulated sugar
    36 g chopped pecans
    28 g melted unsalted butter

Final Shape

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F/205°C.
  • Drizzle 28 g (2 tablespoons) olive oil over the risen dough. Sprinkle the pecan crumble topping over the top. Press your fingertips into the dough, creating dimples.
    28 g extra virgin olive oil
    Chocolate chip banana bread focaccia with brown sugar pecan crumble topping on top, and a hand dimpling the dough.

Bake

  • Bake the focaccia on the rack just below the center position for 24-28 minutes, or until the center of the bread reaches 200°F/90°C. Check the focaccia 12 minutes into the bake - if it's browning quickly, loosely place a piece of foil over it to keep it from burning.
  • Remove the focaccia from the oven. Sprinkle the remaining 42g (1/4 cup) chocolate chips over the hot bread. Allow the focaccia to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack. To remove it from the pan, insert a spatula under one side of the bread. Hold the pan as you slide the focaccia out and onto the rack. Cool at least 10 more minutes before serving. Slice and enjoy.
    42 g milk chocolate chips
    Baked chocolate chip banana bread focaccia on a wire cooling rack.

Video

Notes

  • Yeast: If using active dry yeast, combine it with the water and honey and let it rest for 15 minutes until it bubbles. 
  • Timeline Suggestion: After the dough has doubled in size, you can place it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for around 15 minutes, to soften a bit. Then proceed with the recipe instructions.
  • Sourdough Option: 
    • 310g bread flour
    • 100g active starter
    • 40g honey
    • 240g mashed banana
    • 8g fine sea salt
    • 670g bread flour
    • Mix the dough as instructed in the recipe. Bulk Fermentation can take 3-6 hours. After the dough has doubled, you can refrigerate for up to 24 hours or proceed with the recipe instructions. Final Proof can take 1-2 hours.
  • Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 460kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 253mg | Potassium: 192mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 222IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg
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