Once again this year it’s time for the colomba and my desire to perfect it is getting stronger. I must say last year it didn’t turn out badly: proper rising, nice shape but not sweet enough. This time I’ll adjust the measurements and a few ingredients. I want to clarify that I don’t use sourdough starter. I don’t feel confident enough and prefer to play it safe with fresh baker’s yeast (compressed). Of course the colombe made by professional pastry chefs are another story — I couldn’t do them, so I leave them to those who do it for a living! If you want to try this recipe you can do it without worries. If I managed it, anyone can. You just need a day at home and a bit of patience. And now that it’s 5:30, let’s start preparing the Colomba with dark chocolate and almonds. If you have no idea what to cook for Easter, take a look at my Recipes for the Easter Menu
Other holiday recipes by clicking the links below
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Rest time: 12 Hours 40 Minutes
- Preparation time: 2 Hours
- Cooking time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Electric oven (conventional)
- 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
- tsp fresh baker's yeast
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp whole milk ((about 20 ml))
- 1 7/8 cup Manitoba flour ((about 230 g))
- 3 1/2 tbsp butter ((about 50 g))
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar ((about 110 g))
- 1/4 cup + 1 tsp water ((about 65 ml))
- 1 egg (medium)
- tsp fine salt
- Half vanilla bean
- 2 1/2 tbsp almonds ((about 20 g))
- 3 oz dark chocolate (70%) ((about 80 g), chopped)
- 5 tbsp almonds ((about 40 g; reserve about 2 1/2 tbsp / 20 g for final decoration))
- 4 bitter almonds
- tbsp powdered (confectioners') sugar ((about 50 g; reserve 2 tbsp / 15 g for final decoration))
- 1 egg white
- 3 tbsp pearl sugar (coarse sugar) ((about 40 g))
Tools
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- Kitchen scale
- Stand mixer
- Bowls
- Cling film
- Work surface (dough board)
- Mold for a 500 g colomba
Steps
1st – 2nd – 3rd doughs
1st Dissolve the fresh yeast in the lukewarm milk. Add 20 g (about 1 tbsp + 1 tsp) of flour and mix with a spoon for a few minutes. Cover with cling film and let it rest for 30 minutes in the turned-off oven with the light on.
2nd Dissolve the first dough with lukewarm water. Pour in 50 g of flour and mix with a spoon for a few minutes. Cover with cling film and let it rest for 40 minutes as in the previous step.
3rd Put the second dough in the stand mixer and attach the dough hook. Add 40 g of sugar and start the mixer, gradually adding 50 g of flour little by little. When the sugar and flour are absorbed, add 10 g of soft butter in small pieces and continue adding gradually. Knead until the dough becomes elastic and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Cover and let it rest as before for 90 minutes.
4th Dough
Take the third dough and add 80 g of sugar. Run the stand mixer again using the dough hook. With the mixer running, gradually add 110 g of flour and allow it to absorb. Add the beaten egg little by little. Add the salt and the pulp of half a vanilla bean. Knead until the egg is well absorbed and the dough becomes elastic around the hook. Add another 50 g of soft butter in pieces and continue kneading for at least half an hour. When you pull the dough with your hands it should look glossy and slightly translucent. Add the chopped chocolate and coarsely chopped almonds and give the mixer a few more turns. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with cling film and let it rest for 4 hours.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and deflate it slightly. Divide it into three parts: a larger trunk and two smaller wings. For each piece make several folds (as you would for pandoro). Place the colomba in the paper mold making sure the head is slightly larger than the tail. Put everything to rest in the oven with a bowl of hot water placed underneath so that the surface won’t dry out and form a crust. Add hot water occasionally. It should proof for at least 6 hours. In the meantime prepare the glaze. Finely chop 15 g of almonds and a few bitter almonds together with 35 g of powdered sugar. Once you obtain a fine powder, mix it with an egg white whipped to soft peaks. Combine well and keep it in the fridge until ready to use.
After the rising time, remove it from the oven. Turn the oven on and bring it to 338°F (170°C) conventional. Using a brush, gently spread the glaze over the colomba. Place almonds here and there, sprinkle the pearl sugar and dust with the powdered sugar reserved earlier, then put it into the oven. Bake for 35 minutes, checking and if it browns too quickly cover with aluminum foil. About 10 minutes before the end, open the oven door and leave it ajar using the handle of a wooden spoon. Every oven is different though, so always check doneness. Let the colomba cool like a panettone, upside down and elevated.
