Easter is almost here and the recipe for chocolate chip dove bread couldn’t be missing. A leavened dessert that I’ve always liked, and had never made, but I wanted to try it. I saw the recipe on my friend Deborah’s blog Lifferia and fell in love with it! My friend suggested I make it, telling me I wouldn’t regret it, and she was right. It takes time and patience, but I assure you it will be a success.
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Easter Dove Breads
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 5 Hours
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 1Piece
- Cooking methods: Oven
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups manitoba flour
- 1/6 cup milk
- 2/3 oz fresh brewer's yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 5 drops vanilla essence
- 5 drops orange blossom essence
- 5 oz chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup peeled almonds (or sliced)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 oz egg white
- 20 almonds (whole with skin)
- to taste powdered sugar
- to taste sugar granules
Tools
- Mold
Preparation
To make the chocolate chip dove bread, dissolve the brewer’s yeast in the warm milk (do not boil it as this will compromise the success of the dove bread). Add 1/3 cup of flour and mix until you get a smooth cream. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 20 minutes in a warm place, protected from drafts (such as in the oven turned off with the light on).
After the time, gradually incorporate the warm water, add 3/4 cup of flour, and mix until you get a smooth and very hydrated mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 40 minutes (always in the oven turned off with the light on).
Then, add 2 tbsp of sugar and start the stand mixer. After a few minutes, gradually add 3/4 cup of flour. Once this is fully absorbed, add 1/8 cup of room temperature butter in pieces and continue kneading for about 20 minutes, until the dough detaches from the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled, about an hour and a half.
After the rising time, add 2/3 cup of sugar and knead until absorbed. Gradually add 3/4 cup of flour, one egg, the last 3/4 cup of flour, and the other egg, waiting for the previous ingredient to be well incorporated. Add the salt, essences, and the last 1/3 cup of softened butter. Continue kneading in the stand mixer for 45 minutes. The dough will be ready when, taking a piece, you can stretch it without tearing.
At this point, add the chocolate chips and run the mixer to incorporate them. Transfer the dough to the floured work surface, flatten it with your hands, and roll it up into a cylinder of dough, then roll it up again on itself until you get a ball of dough. Place the dough in a floured bowl, lightly dust the surface with flour, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise until doubled (about an hour and a half).
After this time, transfer the dough to the floured work surface and divide it: take a large part, a little more than half (the body of the dove); and divide the remaining part in two (the wings of the dove). Flatten each portion of dough with your hands (photo 1) and fold into thirds: bring the ends towards the center (photo 2 and 3), then roll the dough, applying slight diagonal tension on itself (photo 4), until you get a cylinder of dough.
Place the larger cylinder in the center of the mold (1kg), placing the seam at the bottom, and the two smaller cylinders in the space of the wings (photo 5). Let it rise in the turned-off oven for about an hour together with a pot of boiling water, to create the right humidity and prevent the dough from drying out.
After this last rise, prepare the glaze: finely chop 1/4 cup of peeled almonds with the sugar and egg white, until you get a thick mixture. Gently spread the glaze over the surface of the dove bread with a spatula to not compromise the rise. Place the whole almonds on top of the dove bread, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and sprinkle with sugar granules.
Bake the dove bread in a preheated ventilated oven at 320°F for about 45 minutes, performing the toothpick test. Once baked, transfer the dove bread to a rack to release excess moisture and leave it in the air for a day. Enjoy!
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