Wednesday, April 16, 2025
HomeItalian FoodItalian Chocolate Colomba Recipe - An Italian in my Kitchen

Italian Chocolate Colomba Recipe – An Italian in my Kitchen


This Italian chocolate colomba is a variation of the standard Italian Easter dove bread however with much more wealthy taste from the melted chocolate within the dough then topped with a decadent chocolate glaze! 

Chocolate colomba on a wooden board.

 

This recipe for Italian Chocolate Colomba is a scrumptious twist on the standard Colomba di Pasqua (Easter dove bread). Whereas the basic model is stuffed with candied orange peel, this one is all about wealthy chocolate taste for a very decadent deal with.

The smooth, yeasted dough is made with each cocoa powder and chocolate chips for double the chocolate goodness. In Italian, this indulgent dessert bread can be referred to as Colomba al cioccolato !

Why I Love This Recipe

  • Vacation bread: This candy Easter dove cake is a wonderful addition to an Easter dessert desk alongside different favorites like Easter cookies and chocolate eggs.
  • Indulgent: This chocolate colomba begins with a wealthy, brioche-like dough, much like conventional Italian Easter bread, but it surely’s sweeter and extra decadent, like a panettone.

Ingredient Notes

  • Milk: For one of the best wealthy brioche bread, use entire or 2% milk.
  • Lively dry yeast: I want energetic dry yeast for this recipe and haven’t examined it with contemporary yeast.
  • Flour: All-purpose flour is required to provide the dough construction.
  • Granulated sugar: Sweetens the bread and provides it a candy style to stability the wealthy chocolate. 
  • Egg: Provides wealthy moisture to the improved dough.
  • Darkish chocolate: Melted good high quality darkish chocolate provides deep chocolate taste. 
  • Butter: Softened butter helps create the wealthy brioche-like bread texture. 
  • Vanilla: Enhances total taste.
  • Salt: Only a pinch. If utilizing unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon salt.
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Provides extra chocolate taste and texture to the bread.
  • Chocolate glaze: Darkish chocolate for richness, entire or heavy cream for smoothness and butter for a wealthy taste and shine.
Ingredients for the recipe.Ingredients for the recipe.

The right way to Make Italian Chocolate Colomba

In a small bowl add the milk and sprinkle the yeast on prime. Let sit, stir to mix. Within the stand mixer whisk the flour and sugar make a nicely within the center add the yeast combination, egg and vanilla begin to knead.

The dry ingredients and the wet in the bowl.The dry ingredients and the wet in the bowl.

Add the butter in three additions kneading nicely earlier than every addition, add the salt and knead once more.

Making the dough and adding the butter.Making the dough and adding the butter.

Add the melted chocolate and knead on low to mix, don’t over knead, a marble impact is okay. Transfer the dough to a evenly floured flat floor and gently knead within the chocolate chips, type right into a ball.

Adding the melted chocolate and chips to the dough.Adding the melted chocolate and chips to the dough.

Place the dough in a evenly buttered bowl, cowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a heat draft free space till tripled in bulk.

The dough in the bowl before and after rising.The dough in the bowl before and after rising.

Transfer the dough to a evenly floured flat floor. Knead just a few instances to type a easy ball. Relying on whether or not you’ve a colomba pan or not you may additionally use a loaf pan or a excessive sided greased cake pan. If you happen to make a colomba then type the dough into two equal logs, lower one log into two items, place them within the pan. If not then form the dough lengthy for a loaf or spherical for a cake pan.

The dough cut and in the pan.The dough cut and in the pan.

Place within the pan and let rise in a heat draft free space till doubled.

The dough doubled in the pan.The dough doubled in the pan.

Brush the Colomba with milk and bake on the center rung of the oven till baked by way of. Take away the bread from the oven and place on a wire rack to chill fully. As soon as cool unfold with the glaze and prime with sugar granules or crated chocolate if you want.

The baked dough on a wire rack.The baked dough on a wire rack.

Ideas for the Greatest Chocolate Colomba Recipe

  • Adjusting the dough with milk or water: If the dough feels too dry whereas mixing, add slightly further water or milk slightly at a time till it begins to come back collectively. Chances are you’ll not want all of it.
  • Hold chocolate chips from sinking: Freeze the chocolate chips for about 1 hour earlier than including them to the dough. This helps them keep evenly distributed on this chocolate Easter bread and be sure you knead them into the dough by hand.
  • Examine for doneness: Chocolate dough could be difficult to guage by coloration. Use a thermometer to test and the colomba is prepared when the interior temperature reaches 190°F.
  • Let the flavour develop: Like many enriched breads, chocolate colomba tastes even higher the subsequent day. The chocolate taste deepens making it an important make-ahead dessert for Easter!
  • Melted chocolate: You should definitely use good high quality darkish chocolate (mine had 52% cocoa). I don’t advocate substituting with cocoa as cocoa can impact the rise and baking results of the bread. (I examined this 3x utilizing cocoa twice and it didn’t work out practically in addition to this one.
The chocolate Easter bread with a slice cut.The chocolate Easter bread with a slice cut.

Recipe Variations

  • Nutty Chocolate Colomba: Add as much as 1/2 chopped hazelnuts or almonds to the dough together with the chocolate chips for a Nutella impressed taste.
  • Orange Chocolate Colomba: Fold in some finely chopped candied orange peel or orange zest for a nod to the standard Italian dessert. 
  • No colomba pan? If you happen to don’t have a dove-shaped colomba mildew, use a loaf pan or high-sided spherical cake pan. Merely form the dough to suit the pan you’re utilizing. Or you may make your personal, take a look at this video, it’s in Italian however it’s simple to know.

Storage

  • To retailer: Hold the chocolate colomba coated at room temperature in an hermetic container for as much as 3 days. 
  • To freeze: Wrap the fully cooled unglazed chocolate colomba tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for as much as 1 month. To serve, thaw at room temperature then add the glaze and serve. 

Extra Easter Recipes

Colomba with a slice cut.Colomba with a slice cut.

Nothing like a scrumptious Italian Chocolate Colomba to assist have a good time with household and or mates! Joyful Easter everybody.

FOR THE DOUGH

  • ¾ cup milk (2% or entire milk) lukewarm
  • teaspoons energetic dry yeast
  • cups all function flour
  • cup granulated sugar
  • 1 giant egg (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • cup butter (softened)
  • 1 pinch salt (should you us unsalted butter then add ¼ teaspoon of salt)
  • 2 ounces darkish chocolate (good high quality) melted and cooled
  • cup semi candy chocolate chips

FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE

  • ounces darkish chocolate
  • 3 tablespoons cream (entire/heavy)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • In a small bowl add the milk and sprinkle the yeast on prime. Let sit 5-10 minutes, stir to mix.

  • Within the stand mixer whisk the flour and sugar make a nicely within the center add the yeast combination, egg and vanilla begin to knead for 2-3 minutes, add the butter in three additions kneading nicely earlier than every addition, add the salt and knead for 5-6 minutes. If the dough is simply too moist add a bit extra flour. Add the melted chocolate and knead on low to mix, do not over knead, a marble impact is okay. Transfer the dough to a evenly floured flat floor and gently knead within the chocolate chips, type right into a ball, and place the dough in a evenly buttered bowl, cowl with plastic wrap and let rise 2-3 hours in a heat draft free space till tripled in bulk.

  • Transfer the dough to a evenly floured flat floor. Knead just a few instances to type a easy ball. Relying on whether or not you’ve a colomba pan or not you may use a 750 gram / ¾ pound one or place in a loaf pan or a excessive sided greased cake pan. If you happen to make a colomba then type the dough into two equal logs, lower one log into two items, place them within the pan (see pictures) If not then form the dough lengthy for a loaf or spherical for a cake pan. Place within the pan and let rise in a heat draft free space for roughly 1-2 hours or till doubled.

  • Pre-heat oven 340F/170C.

  • Brush the Colomba with milk and bake on the center rung of the oven for 20-Half-hour or baked by way of. Inside temperature shall be 190F / 88C. Take away the bread from the oven and place on a wire rack to chill fully. As soon as cool unfold with the glaze and prime with sugar granules or crated chocolate if you want. Get pleasure from!

Relying in your oven it may take longer to bake particularly should you use a cake or loaf pan.
If you wish to make your personal Colomba pan here’s a hyperlink, it’s in Italian but it surely’s fairly simple to know. Colomba Pan
To retailer: Hold the chocolate colomba coated at room temperature in an hermetic container for as much as 3 days. 
To freeze: Wrap the fully cooled unglazed chocolate colomba tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for as much as 1 month. To serve, thaw at room temperature then add the glaze and serve. 

Energy: 4077kcal | Carbohydrates: 489g | Protein: 74g | Fats: 202g | Saturated Fats: 119g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 9g | Monounsaturated Fats: 55g | Trans Fats: 4g | Ldl cholesterol: 490mg | Sodium: 905mg | Potassium: 2302mg | Fiber: 33g | Sugar: 136g | Vitamin A: 3907IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 517mg | Iron: 41mg | Phosphorus: 1418mg

Please go away a remark under or pin it to your Pinterest account!

It’s All About Pasta

Superb pasta recipes to make your mouth water!

all about pasta baked pasta on a wooden boardall about pasta baked pasta on a wooden board

Genuine Italian Desserts

75 Conventional Desserts Made Simple

RELATED ARTICLES

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Most Popular

Recent Comments