The sweet Danubio with Nutella is a soft and delicious leavened dessert, perfect for those who love homemade sweets and recipes to share. Inspired by the classic savory Danubio, known for its soft balls filled with cold cuts and cheeses, this sweet version wins over with its creamy and irresistible filling.
The dough, soft and light, indeed holds a heart of Nutella that makes every bite a real treat.
Ideal to serve for breakfast, snack, or as a dessert, sweet Danubio is an easy and spectacular recipe, perfect also for parties and special occasions.
Personally, I have also prepared it for some of my daughter’s birthdays, who, although very fond of sweets, does not particularly like cakes and I must say that it has always been a success, making even the little guests happy.
Well, you won’t lack opportunities to prepare this delight, just get your hands dirty and you’re done.
Now take a minute to read the recipe and then…let’s cook and eat!!
See also
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 4 Hours
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
With the amounts below, I obtained about 22-24 balls which I divided into two springform pans, respectively 8 and 10 inches.
- 100 g Manitoba flour
- 100 ml water
- 12 g fresh brewer's yeast (or 4 g active dry yeast)
- 300 g Manitoba flour
- 200 g type 00 flour
- 40 g sugar
- 2 eggs
- 150 ml milk
- 10 g salt
- 50 g butter (soft)
- 350 g Nutella®
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons milk
Tools
- 1 Stand Mixer
- 1 Bowl
- Plastic Wrap
- 1 Metal Dough Scraper
- 1 Springform Pan diameter 8 -10 inches
- Parchment Paper
- 1 Small Bowl
- 1 Brush silicone
Steps
To prepare the sweet Danubio with Nutella, start by preparing the starter, which will ensure a more robust leavening, a much more aerated crumb, and, above all, will help to retain moisture in the dessert, preventing the sweet Danubio from becoming dry after a few hours.
Gather, inside a bowl, the water in which you will dissolve the yeast and add the flour.
Mix with a whisk or fork to combine everything.
Cover the starter with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm place for 1 hour, until it has increased in volume and is full of bubbles.
Transfer the starter into the bowl of the stand mixer and add the flour mix, eggs, milk, and sugar. Start mixing with the hook attachment.
When all the ingredients are combined, add the salt and continue kneading.
Once the salt is incorporated and the dough has gained consistency, start adding the butter at room temperature, little by little.
Work the dough until it is smooth, homogeneous, and perfectly elastic.
Transfer the dough into a large bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise until doubled in volume.
Transfer the dough to a work surface and, with the help of a dough scraper, cut pieces of 40-45 g each. Flatten and widen each piece with your hands and place a heaping teaspoon of Nutella in the center of each.
Fold the edges of the dough towards the center to completely enclose the Nutella. Pinch the closure well, flip the filled brioche ball over, and shape it by rotating it on the work surface.
As the balls are ready, place them inside a mold with a parchment paper-lined bottom and buttered or greased edges.
Leave some space between each ball, cover the pan, and let rise a second time for 30-40 minutes.
At the end of the second rise, brush the surface of your sweet Danubio with a mixture of egg yolk and milk whisked together.
Finally, bake in a preheated static oven at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes.
Cover with a sheet of aluminum foil if the surface of your Danubio starts to darken too much halfway through baking.
Once baked, let it cool on a wire rack before removing it from the pan and serving, perhaps with a dusting of powdered sugar 😉.
Storage
The sweet Danubio with Nutella keeps under a glass dome for up to 2 to 3 days. In the days following preparation, reheat for a few seconds in the microwave before consumption (maybe just the portion you will actually consume).
FAQ
Can I prepare the dough the night before?
Absolutely yes! After kneading, place the dough in a covered bowl and leave it in the refrigerator overnight (about 8-12 hours). The next morning, let it return to room temperature for an hour before forming the balls. The slow rise makes the Danubio even softer and more digestible. In this case, I recommend halving the yeast amount.
Why is my dough not rising?
The main reasons are two: the milk was too hot (killing the yeast) or the environment is too cold. Make sure the milk is lukewarm (not boiling) and put the dough to rise in the oven turned off with the light on.
How do I prevent the Nutella from leaking out during baking?
The trick is in the sealing. When you close the ball, pinch the edges of the dough well at the base.
Can I use other fillings?
Certainly! Thick pastry cream, jam, or pistachio cream are great alternatives. The important thing is that the filling is firm enough not to soak the dough from the inside.
How do I keep the Danubio soft for several days?
Once baked and cooled, store it under a glass dome or seal it well in a food bag. If it slightly hardens after 2 days, pass it for 10 seconds in the microwave: it will return as freshly made.
Can I use type 00 flour instead of Manitoba flour?
For soft leavened items, Manitoba (or a type 0 flour with a strength W280-300) is ideal because it better supports leavening. If you use only type 00, the Danubio will be less elastic and tend to crumble more, but it will still be good.
Can I substitute butter with oil?
Yes, you can use vegetable oil (about 80% of the weight of the indicated butter). However, keep in mind that the flavor will be less “patisserie” and the texture slightly less soft in the long term.
Can I skip the starter preparation and put everything in the stand mixer right away?
You can do so, but the result will be different. Without the starter, the dough will have a harder time growing (especially with the weight of butter, eggs, and sugar) and the yeast taste could be more pronounced.
My starter is not bubbling, what happened?
Most likely, the milk was too hot (above 104°F) and deactivated the yeast, or the yeast was expired. If after 45 minutes it is still dormant, it’s better to redo it: if the starter doesn’t start, the Danubio won’t rise either.
Can I make the starter with dry yeast?
Of course! But remember to use the right proportions. The dry yeast should be 1/3 of the fresh brewer’s yeast.
