Chocolate Colomba

Name: Chocolate Colomba
Prep time: 80 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 140 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: Manitoba flour 1.1 cups; Whole milk at room temperature 1 cup; Water at room temperature 0.4 cup; Fresh brewer's yeast 0.5 oz; Manitoba flour 0.8 cup; Sugar 5 tsp; Butter at room temperature 1 ½ tbsp; Manitoba flour 1 cup; Sugar 0.6 cup; Eggs (about 2 medium) 4 oz; Butter at room temperature 5.67 tbsp; Fine salt 2 tsp; Dark chocolate chips 3.5 oz; Orange peel 1; Dark chocolate 8.8 oz; Fresh liquid cream &frac13; cup; Hazelnuts chopped to taste

it es de fr br nl

546

Calories per serving

Energy Kcal 546
Carbohydrates g 67.1
of which sugars g 36.9
Protein g 10.6
Fats g 26.2
of which saturated fat g 13.71
Fiber g 2.5
Cholesterol mg 73
Sodium mg 422

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Very difficult
Prep time: 1 h 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Serving: 10
Cost: Average
Note plus the rising times

PRESENTATION

Chocolate colomba cake, a delightful treat from Lombardy, pops up every spring, marking Easter's arrival. It's not just any dessert—this Italian Easter bread is a holiday staple. Why? Well, because of its moist, airy texture and rich flavors. Traditionally, you'd find candied fruit in it, but the chocolate colomba recipe mixes things up with smooth chocolate drops. The result is seriously good—a tender, fluffy bread with chocolate pockets, topped with a thick layer of dark chocolate. Really, this is something special.

In Italy, folks swear by the long rise. Hours and hours of letting the dough puff up. And it makes the colomba soft and super, super light. In Lombardy, families often add their twist—sometimes going for quick versions for spontaneous get-togethers. But honestly, the slow-rise homemade colomba with chocolate? That's the showstopper. For real. Over in Milan and across northern Italy, bakeries each have their unique spin on this Easter dove bread. And you know what? It is way, way better when they get creative.

What sets the chocolate colomba cake apart from a chocolate panettone is its golden, almond-shaped loaf, designed to look like a dove. The top gets extra crispy with dark chocolate, and when you cut it open, the inside is moist with delightful surprises. Thing is, using the traditional recipe with slow proofing is worth the wait. But if you're pressed for time, there's a quicker route that still gives off that homemade colomba with chocolate vibe. Families love it with coffee or even for breakfast during Easter week.

Whether you go for the slow-rise or the fast version, this bread is really the essence of Italian holiday desserts—quality ingredients, patience, and a sharing spirit. Looking for something a bit decadent? The chocolate colomba cake is a sweet choice that everyone falls for. So, why not bring a slice of Italy to your Easter table? Enjoy the rich tradition and flavors of this beloved treat!

INGREDIENTS

546

Calories per serving

Ingredients for the first dough: Manitoba flour 1.1 cups (140 g); Whole milk 1 cup (40 g) - at room temperature; Water 0.4 cup (100 g) - at room temperature; Fresh brewer's yeast 0.5 oz (15 g)

for the second dough: Manitoba flour 0.8 cup (100 g); Sugar 5 tsp (20 g); Butter 1 ½ tbsp (20 g) - at room temperature

for the third dough: Manitoba flour 1 cup (210 g); Sugar 0.6 cup (120 g); Eggs 4 oz (112 g) - (about 2 medium); Butter 5.67 tbsp (80 g) - at room temperature; Fine salt 2 tsp (10 g); Dark chocolate chips 3.5 oz (100 g); Orange peel 1

for the glaze: Dark chocolate 8.8 oz (250 g); Fresh liquid cream ⅓ cup (80 g); Hazelnuts to taste - chopped

Preparation 1st dough

To prepare the chocolate colomba, start by making the first dough. Pour the sifted flour into a bowl 1. Then, in a jug, pour the fresh yeast, room temperature milk, and also the water 2. Stir with a spatula to dissolve the yeast. Gradually pour the liquids into the flour, always mixing with the spatula 3,

until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous mixture 4. Cover with plastic wrap 5 and let rise for 3 hours at a temperature of 80-86°F 6.

Preparation 2nd dough

Once the first dough has risen, transfer it to the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a hook 1 and add the sugar 2. Start the machine and incorporate the flour little by little 3.

Only when it is perfectly absorbed can you add the soft butter, one piece at a time 4. Continue working the dough until it is well mixed 5, then transfer it to a work surface and shape it with a dough scraper for a few moments 6.

Finally, shape the dough into a ball 7 and transfer it into a glass bowl, covering it again with transparent plastic wrap 8. Leave it to rise again, in the turned-off oven with the light on or at a temperature between 80°F and 86°F for at least 2 and a half hours, or until it has doubled in volume again 9.

Preparation

How to prepare Chocolate Colomba

After this time, proceed to make the third dough: pour the 2nd risen dough into the mixer bowl 1 and add the sugar 2. Attach the hook, start the machine at a moderate speed, and when the sugar is completely absorbed, gradually pour in the flour 3 and let it incorporate.

Then slowly add the eggs 4 until they are well absorbed, add the salt 5, and finally, the grated zest of an orange 6.

Add the soft butter little by little, waiting for each piece to be absorbed before adding the next 7. Once all the butter is added, pour in the chocolate chips 8 and continue working the dough until they are well incorporated. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface 9, gently flatten it with your hands and fold the outer edges of the dough inward for strength folds.

After giving the strength folds, shape the dough into a ball 10 and transfer it into a glass bowl, cover with transparent plastic wrap 11 and place in the refrigerator to mature for 20 hours, after this time take it out of the fridge and place it in the turned-off oven with the light on for about 3-4 hours 12.

To shape and bake the colomba

After this last phase, transfer the dough to a work surface: it will be quite hydrated 1. If necessary, you can lightly flour your hands to work with it, but you should not add too much flour to avoid making the dough too hard. Gently spread it with your hands and divide the dough into two parts: one about 14 oz for the wings, and one about 22 oz for the body of the colomba 2. Take the larger portion and flatten it with your hands 3;

then roll it up 4 to form a log 5. Place it in the longer part of the 1.5 lbs mold 6.

Just as before, roll up the other portion of the dough to form a smaller log 7 and place it inside the mold on top of the other 8. The colomba is formed, let it rise for 4 and a half hours until it almost reaches the edge of the mold 9; you can let it rise in the off oven with the light on.

After the rising hours, bake the colomba in a preheated static oven at 320°F, on the lower shelf, for 55-60 minutes (for this recipe it is advisable to avoid fan-assisted baking as it would dry out the dough too much); to make sure the colomba is cooked, you can always check the internal temperature, which should be 194°F, or do the toothpick test. Once out of the oven 10, insert long metal skewers through the entire length of the colomba (so as to skewer both a wing and the body of the colomba) 11. Position it upside down, suspended on supports (we used two bowls, for example) and let it cool 12. This will ensure that the colomba does not collapse in the center as it cools down.

To glaze

Once the colomba is cold, remove the metal skewers and transfer it to a wire rack 1. Now prepare the coating by finely chopping the dark chocolate 2, heat the fresh cream until it almost reaches a boil 3

and pour it directly into the chopped chocolate, which you have transferred into a bowl 4. Stir to dissolve the chocolate well 5. As soon as you have obtained a smooth consistency, spread the ganache over the colomba with a spatula 6,

make sure to cover the entire surface 7. Decorate with chopped hazelnuts 8 and let it set for about 1 hour before serving your chocolate colomba 9!

Storage

You can store the colomba wrapped in plastic wrap, or in an airtight container for a couple of days. Freezing is not recommended.

Advice

If you prefer, you can make a white or milk chocolate ganache to glaze the colomba.

If you don't want to glaze it, add more chocolate chips inside!

The baked colomba will weigh 1.8 lbs.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.