Sweet-savory sheet-pan focaccia
Date, Sesame & Orange-Blossom Focaccia (North African / Middle Eastern-Inspired)
Sweet-savory focaccia with jammy dates, toasted sesame and a floral orange-blossom syrup — the perfume of North African and Middle Eastern sweets on an airy crumb.
- Total
- 4.2 hr
- Hands-on
- 25 min
- Hydration
- 78%
- Skill
- intermediate
By FocacciaRecipe editorial · Updated 2026-07-05 · In editorial development; independent bake-test pending
The short version
Press pitted dates and sesame into a lightly sweetened focaccia, bake at 220°C/425°F for 20–24 minutes, then brush with an orange-blossom honey syrup after baking so the floral aroma stays bright.
Why this works
Orange-blossom water is volatile and turns soapy or fades if baked hard, so it goes into a syrup brushed on after the bake; a small amount of sugar in the dough supports gentle browning without making it cakey; toasting the sesame first deepens its nutty flavor.
The schedule
~35m hands-on of 4.1h total · same day
- Mix & fold · 35m
- Bulk ferment · 2h
- Proof · 1h
- Bake · 22m
- Cool · 10m
Terracotta is active work; olive is unattended rising; red is the bake.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
Mix the dough
Whisk flour, sugar and yeast. Add water and 40 g oil, then salt. Mix to a shaggy, sticky dough.
Look for: Sticky and slightly softer than usual from the sugar; no dry flour left.
- 2
Bulk ferment with folds
Do 3 sets of stretch-and-folds over 90 minutes, then rise until doubled and bubbly.
Look for: Domed, bubble-dotted surface that jiggles when nudged.
- 3
Toast the sesame
Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until golden and fragrant, then set aside.
Look for: The seeds turn pale gold and smell nutty — pull them before they brown fully.
- 4
Pan and proof
Oil the sheet pan. Stretch the dough to the edges, resting if it resists. Proof until puffy, about 1 hour.
Look for: The dough relaxes to fill the pan and springs back slowly.
- 5
Dimple and top
Dimple the dough with oiled fingers. Drizzle 15 g oil, press the torn dates into the dimples, and scatter most of the toasted sesame over the surface.
Look for: Dates nestle into the dimples; sesame dots the whole surface.
- 6
Bake
Bake at 220°C/425°F for 20–24 minutes until golden and crisp on the base. The slightly lower temperature protects the sugar and dates from scorching.
Look for: Golden crust with dark, jammy date edges — watch that the dates caramelize but do not burn.
- 7
After baking
Warm the honey with 1 tbsp water, stir in orange-blossom water off the heat, and brush over the warm focaccia. Scatter the remaining sesame and a tiny pinch of flaky salt.
Look for: The syrup glazes the top glossy and the orange-blossom perfume rises fresh and floral — added off the heat so it does not fade.
Avoid: Add orange-blossom water off the heat and to taste; too much or too much cooking turns it soapy.
What good looks like
- Crumb: Airy and lightly sweet, studded with soft date.
- Crust: Crisp oil-fried base with a glossy floral glaze on top.
- Height: About 3 cm tall.
- Color: Golden crust; caramelized date edges.
If something went wrong
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Soapy, perfumey off-note | Too much orange-blossom water, or it was baked in | Add it off the heat, starting with 1/2 tsp, in the after-bake syrup only. |
| Burnt date edges | Oven too hot for the sugar and fruit | Bake at 220°C/425°F, not higher, and pull as soon as the base is crisp. |
| Bland sesame | Sesame not toasted | Toast the seeds first to develop their nutty flavor. |
Storing & reheating
Storage: Best the day it is baked. Store cooled up to 2 days; the glaze keeps it moist.
Freezing: Freeze cooled pieces before glazing; glaze after reheating.
Reheating: Warm in a 180°C/350°F oven 5 minutes; the glaze re-softens.
Contains wheat/gluten and SESAME. Contains honey (not vegan) unless substituted.
Tools & ingredients for this focaccia
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Core pantry
- Bread flour (opens Amazon) ↗ — High-protein bread flour or Italian “00” both work.
- Sugar (opens Amazon) ↗ — Standard pantry sugar.
- Fine sea salt (opens Amazon) ↗ — Fine sea salt for the dough.
- Instant yeast (opens Amazon) ↗ — Instant (or active dry) yeast keeps for months.
- Extra-virgin olive oil (opens Amazon) ↗ — Use a good EVOO you like the taste of.
- Seeds (opens Amazon) ↗ — Keep sealed; toast for flavor.
- Honey (opens Amazon) ↗ — Any good honey; hot honey for spicy bakes.
- Flaky finishing salt (opens Amazon) ↗ — For the crunchy finish.
Fresh — buy local
- Medjool or soft dates (opens Amazon) ↗ — A common item; buy fresh or from your pantry.
You don’t need to buy everything here — many items are already in most kitchens. Fresh produce, cheese and herbs are best bought local and in season.
Frequently asked
- Is this a dessert?
- It sits between bread and pastry — only lightly sweet, so it works for brunch, with coffee, or alongside yogurt as a sweet-savory bite.
- Where can I buy orange-blossom water?
- It is sold in Middle Eastern and North African groceries and many supermarkets' baking aisles. A little goes a long way, so start small.
Keep baking
In these collections
Source: https://www.focacciarecipe.com/recipes/date-sesame-orange-blossom-focaccia · © 2026 FocacciaRecipe.com
In editorial development — this recipe has not yet completed physical bake-testing.