Ingredients:

Dough:

• 450mLs warm tap water (not hot)
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 sachet yeast (4g)
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 500 grams plain flour or bread flour
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon salt

Filling:

• 1.5 cups walnuts
• 1/4 cup Caster sugar
• 1/4 cup Brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground Cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom water

Syrup:

• 1/4 cup simple sugar syrup
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Same Day Method:

1. Whisk warm water, yeast, olive oil, and honey in a deep bowl until incorporated.
2. Mix in flour, cinnamon, salt until it forms a shaggy dough. Do not worry about over working the dough or it being perfect, it will come together.
3. Clean down the edges of the bowl and cover bowl with cling wrap or a tea towel and allow it to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes
4. After 15 minutes, stretch and fold the dough.
5. Cover and rest for another 15 minutes before you stretch and fold the dough again.
6. Cover the dough with cling wrap or a tea towel and allow it to rest for 1.5 hours at room temperature.
7. Prepare the filling mixture by placing walnuts, caster sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and orange blossom water in a food processor and blitz until crumbled. Be sure not to over process it  as you do not want a paste.
8. Prepare a 24cm X 33cm deep sided sheet pan lined with baking paper and tip the dough mixture in the tray.
9. Spread dough to corners as best as possible. Sprinkle 3/4 of the filling mixture over the surface and fold the dough into thirds like a wrap or burrito, slide it lengthways and flip it upside down so the smooth side is on the top and walnut filling is wrapped inside.
10. Cover and proof for another 1.5 hours at room temperature.
11. Pre heat your oven at 220C.
12. Drizzle dough with some more olive oil and add the reminder of the filling mixture over the surface of the focaccia and dimple the dough.
13. Bake on the lowest rack of the oven for approximately 20-30 minutes or until golden.
14. Mix syrup in a small bowl and set aside.
15. Once focaccia is baked, drizzle syrup over the surface while focaccia is still hot. This will be better absorbed right out of the oven.
16. Allow focaccia to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Overnight Method:

1. 1. Whisk warm water, yeast, olive oil, and honey in a deep bowl until incorporated.
   2. Mix in flour, cinnamon, salt until it forms a shaggy dough. Do not worry about over working the dough or it being perfect, it will come together.
   3. Clean down the edges of the bowl and cover bowl with cling wrap or a tea towel and allow it to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes
   4. After 15 minutes, stretch and fold the dough.
   5. Cover and rest for another 15 minutes before you stretch and fold the dough again.
   6. Cover the dough with cling wrap and place in the fridge overnight.
   7. The following day: Prepare the filling mixture by placing walnuts, caster sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and orange blossom water in a food processor and blitz until crumbled. Be sure not to over process it  as you do not want a paste.
   8. Prepare a 24cm X 33cm deep sided sheet pan lined with baking paper and tip the dough mixture in the tray.
   9. Spread dough to corners as best as possible. Sprinkle 3/4 of the filling mixture over the surface and fold the dough into thirds like a wrap or burrito, slide it lengthways and flip it upside down so the smooth side is on the top and walnut filling is wrapped inside.
   10. Cover and proof for another 1.5 hours at room temperature.
   11. Pre heat your oven at 220C.
   12. Drizzle dough with some more olive oil and add the reminder of the filling mixture over the surface of the focaccia and dimple the dough.
   13. Bake on the lowest rack of the oven for approximately 20-30 minutes or until golden.
   14. Mix syrup in a small bowl and set aside.
   15. Once focaccia is baked, drizzle syrup over the surface while focaccia is still hot. This will be better absorbed right out of the oven.
   16. Allow focaccia to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Tips/Substitutions:

• Keep in and airtight container for 3-4 days.
• Best served warm
• I do not recommend freezing focaccia to thaw and eat at a later date. It tends to taste stale. Best consumed fresh .

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