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!
This recipe for Italian Chocolate Colomba is a scrumptious twist on the standard Colomba di Pasqua (Easter dove bread). Whereas the traditional model is crammed with candied orange peel, this one is all about wealthy chocolate taste for a very decadent deal with.
The mushy, 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, just 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 complete or 2% milk.
- Energetic dry yeast: I desire energetic dry yeast for this recipe and haven’t examined it with recent yeast.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is required to offer the dough construction.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the bread and offers it a candy style to steadiness 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 general 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, complete or heavy cream for smoothness and butter for a wealthy taste and shine.

The best way to Make Italian Chocolate Colomba
In a small bowl add the milk and sprinkle the yeast on high. Let sit, stir to mix. Within the stand mixer whisk the flour and sugar make a effectively within the center add the yeast combination, egg and vanilla begin to knead.

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

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

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

Transfer the dough to a flippantly floured flat floor. Knead a couple of instances to type a clean ball. Relying on whether or not you have got a colomba pan or not you might additionally use a loaf pan or a excessive sided greased cake pan. Should you make a colomba then type the dough into two equal logs, reduce 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.

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

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 high with sugar granules or crated chocolate if you want.

Suggestions for the Greatest Chocolate Colomba Recipe
- Adjusting the dough with milk or water: If the dough feels too dry whereas mixing, add a little bit further water or milk a little bit at a time till it begins to return collectively. You might 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 make sure to knead them into the dough by hand.
- Verify for doneness: Chocolate dough will be tough to evaluate by shade. 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 following day. The chocolate taste deepens making it an awesome make-ahead dessert for Easter!
- Melted chocolate: You’ll want to use good high quality darkish chocolate (mine had 52% cocoa). I don’t suggest 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 almost in addition to this one.

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? Should you 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 straightforward to grasp.
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

Nothing like a scrumptious Italian Chocolate Colomba to assist have a good time with household and or pals! Completely happy Easter everybody.
FOR THE DOUGH
- ¾ cup milk (2% or complete milk) lukewarm
- 1½ teaspoons energetic dry yeast
- 3¼ cups all function flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 giant egg (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup butter (softened)
- 1 pinch salt (in the event you us unsalted butter then add ¼ teaspoon of salt)
- 2 ounces darkish chocolate (good high quality) melted and cooled
- ⅓ cup semi candy chocolate chips
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE
- 3¼ ounces darkish chocolate
- 3 tablespoons cream (complete/heavy)
- 2 tablespoons butter
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In a small bowl add the milk and sprinkle the yeast on high. Let sit 5-10 minutes, stir to mix.
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Within the stand mixer whisk the flour and sugar make a effectively within the center add the yeast combination, egg and vanilla begin to knead for 2-3 minutes, add the butter in three additions kneading effectively 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 flippantly floured flat floor and gently knead within the chocolate chips, type right into a ball, and place the dough in a flippantly buttered bowl, cowl with plastic wrap and let rise 2-3 hours in a heat draft free space till tripled in bulk.
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Transfer the dough to a flippantly floured flat floor. Knead a couple of instances to type a clean ball. Relying on whether or not you have got a colomba pan or not you might use a 750 gram / ¾ pound one or place in a loaf pan or a excessive sided greased cake pan. Should you make a colomba then type the dough into two equal logs, reduce 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.
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Pre-heat oven 340F/170C.
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Brush the Colomba with milk and bake on the center rung of the oven for 20-Half-hour or baked by way of. Inner 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 high with sugar granules or crated chocolate if you want. Get pleasure from!
If you wish to make your personal Colomba pan here’s a hyperlink, it’s in Italian but it surely’s fairly straightforward to grasp. 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
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