Once again, it’s time for the dove cake, and the desire to perfect it is stronger than ever. Last year, I must say it wasn’t bad, good rise, nice shape, but not sweet enough. This time I will adjust the doses and some ingredients. I would like to point out that I don’t use sourdough. I don’t feel capable and prefer to play it safe with fresh yeast. Certainly, real pastry chefs’ dove cakes are another thing; I wouldn’t be able to make them, so I leave them to the professionals! Anyone who wants to try with this recipe can do so calmly. If I managed, anyone can. Just have a day to stay at home and a little patience. And now that it’s 5:30, let’s start preparing the Dove Cake with Chocolate and Almonds. If you have no ideas on what to cook for Easter, take a look at my Easter Menu Recipes
Recipe from 01/04/2017 updated
Other holiday recipes by clicking on the links below
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 12 Hours 40 Minutes
- Preparation time: 2 Hours
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter
- Energy 492.19 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 69.26 (g) of which sugars 38.42 (g)
- Proteins 11.02 (g)
- Fat 20.07 (g) of which saturated 8.69 (g)of which unsaturated 10.13 (g)
- Fibers 3.94 (g)
- Sodium 156.72 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 84 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 0.35 oz fresh yeast
- 1.35 tbsp whole milk
- 1.94 cups Manitoba flour
- 3.5 tbsp butter
- 0.55 cups sugar
- 0.28 cups water
- 1 egg (medium)
- 0.35 tsp fine salt
- Half vanilla pod
- 0.71 oz almonds
- 2.82 oz 70% dark chocolate
- 1.41 oz almonds (keep 0.71 oz for the final decoration)
- 4 bitter almonds (bitter)
- 1.76 oz powdered sugar (keep 0.53 oz for the final decoration)
- 1 egg white
- 1.41 oz sugar sprinkles
Tools
The recipe contains IconA affiliate links
- Kitchen Scale
- Stand Mixer
- Bowls
- Plastic Wrap
- Pastry Board
- Mold for 500 g dove cake
Steps
1st-2nd-3rd Dough
1st Dissolve fresh yeast with lukewarm milk. Add 0.14 cups of flour and mix with a spoon for a few minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes in the turned-off oven with the light on.
2nd Dissolve the first dough with lukewarm water. Pour 0.35 cups of flour and mix with a spoon for a few minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 40 minutes as in the previous step.
3rd Place the second dough in the stand mixer and insert the hook. Pour 0.2 cups of sugar and operate while adding little by little 0.35 cups of flour. When sugar and flour are absorbed, add 0.7 tbsp of soft butter in pieces gradually. Knead until the dough is smooth and can be detached from the sides. Cover and let rest as before for 90 minutes.
4th Dough
Take the third dough and add 0.4 cups of sugar. Operate the stand mixer still using the hook. With the motor running, add slowly 0.94 cups of flour and let it absorb. Add the egg, previously beaten, little by little. Also add salt and the pulp of half a vanilla pod. Knead until the egg is well absorbed, it should stick to the hook. Add another 3.5 tbsp of soft butter in pieces and continue kneading for at least half an hour. When pulling the dough with your hands, it should seem veiled. Add the coarsely chopped chocolate and almonds and make a few more turns. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 4 hours.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and deflate it a little. Divide it into three parts, with the larger trunk and smaller wings. Make several folds with each piece (like for pandoro). Place the dove cake in the cardboard mold, ensuring the head is slightly larger than the tail. Let it rest in the oven with a bowl of warm water placed underneath, so it doesn’t dry out and form a crust. Occasionally add hot water. Let it rise for at least 6 hours. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Finely chop 0.53 oz of almonds, some bitter almonds, together with 1.23 oz of powdered sugar. Once you obtain a flour, combine it with a stiffly beaten egg white. Mix and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
After the rising time, remove it from the oven. Turn on and set to 340 degrees Fahrenheit static. Carefully brush the glaze on the dove cake with a brush. Place almonds here and there, sugar sprinkles, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and bake. Bake for 35 minutes checking and if it gets too colored, cover with foil. 10 minutes before turning off, open the door and leave it ajar with the help of a spoon handle. Every oven is different, always check the cooking. Cool the dove cake like the panettone, upside down and elevated.
