Homemade classic colomba with baker’s yeast is a great alternative to the traditional sourdough colomba:easier to make, but every bit as delicious.Thanks to a 3-dough method starting from a biga, this recipe delivers a soft, fragrant, beautifully open-crumb Easter colomba. The gradual fermentation helps develop aroma, flavor, and texture. The result is a rich, fragrant Italian enriched bread—more approachable to make, yet still with all the satisfaction of a true artisan-style colomba.
1 kg colombe
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Instant-read thermometer
- Disposable 1 kg colomba paper molds
- Panettone skewers (for hanging)
- Food-safe polypropylene bags
- Food processor
Ingredients
FOR THE BIGA
- 55 gr Strong 00 flour for panettone (W360, 14–15% protein)
- 25 gr Water (at room temperature)
- 2 gr Fresh baker’s yeast
FOR THE FIRST DOUGH
- 180 gr Strong 00 flour for panettone (W360, 14–15% protein)
- 75 gr Water (at room temperature)
- 70 gr Soft butter
- 30 gr Egg yolks
- 20 gr Granulated sugar
- 5 gr Fresh baker’s yeast
FOR THE SECOND DOUGH
- 180 gr Strong 00 flour for panettone (W360, 14–15% protein)
- 100 gr Egg yolks
- 100 gr Soft butter
- 20 gr Water (at room temperature)
- 20 gr Granulated sugar
- 8 gr Fresh baker’s yeast
FOR THE THIRD DOUGH
- 805 gr Strong 00 flour for panettone (W360, 14–15% protein)
- 290 gr Egg yolks (cold, straight from the fridge)
- 255 gr Granulated sugar
- 90 gr Orange blossom honey
- 330 gr Heavy cream (35% fat)
FOR THE FLAVOR EMULSION
- 145 gr Soft butter
- 90 gr Clarified butter (alternatively, add an additional 110 g soft butter)
- 60 gr Aromatic mix for enriched doughs (see the recipe)
- 10 gr Salt
- 10 gr Bourbon vanilla
FOR THE FILLING
- 840 gr Candied orange (well drained from the syrup)
FOR THE ALMOND GLAZE
- 440 gr Granulated sugar
- 200 gr Egg whites
- 170 gr Toasted almonds (non pelate)
- 70 gr Toasted hazelnuts
- 50 gr Bitter almonds
- 35 gr Fine corn flour (fioretto-style fine corn flour)
- 35 gr Remilled durum wheat semolina
FOR FINISHING
- Pearl sugar
- Whole unblanched almonds
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
FOR THE FLAVOR EMULSION
- The night before making the colomba, prepare a flavor emulsion. It will help you incorporate the fats more easily and will boost the aroma of the colomba.
- In a bowl, combine all the fats with the salt, vanilla, and the Aromatic Mix for Enriched Doughs. Mix with the paddle attachment until you get a homogeneous mixture.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, so the aromas can infuse into the fats and the salt can partially dissolve. REMEMBER TO TAKE THE FLAVOR EMULSION OUT OF THE FRIDGE ABOUT 2–3 HOURS BEFORE THE THIRD DOUGH, SO IT CAN SOFTEN (DO NOT SOFTEN IT IN THE MICROWAVE).
FOR THE GLAZE
- In a large food processor, blend the almonds, hazelnuts, bitter almonds, and sugar very finely, until you get a fine powder.
- Add the corn flour, semolina, and egg whites, then blend on high speed for about 1 minute, until perfectly smooth.
- Cover with plastic wrap and keep the glaze in the fridge until ready to use.
FOR THE BIGA
- Place the flour and fresh baker’s yeast in a bowl and add the water, mixing just until it’s absorbed and you get a rather rough dough.It’s important for the biga to be around 19°C (66°F), so adjust your water temperature using this empirical formula (all in °C):Water temp = 55 − room temp − flour temp
- Cover with a clean cloth and let the biga ferment for 18 hours at 18°C (64°F).
FOR THE FIRST DOUGH
- Make a syrup by blending the water, sugar, and egg yolks from the recipe.
- Weigh 100 g of the fermented biga and add it to the mixer bowl with the flour and fresh baker’s yeast.
- Add part of the syrup and start mixing on low speed with the dough hook, letting the liquids absorb gradually.
- Once the syrup is fully absorbed, mix more vigorously until the dough develops a strong gluten network. To check, stretch a small piece of dough between your hands to form a thin, resilient sheet. If it tears easily, the dough isn’t ready yet.Make sure the dough temperature does not exceed 28°C (82°F). If it does, stop the mixer and chill the dough in the fridge (or freezer) for a few minutes, until it drops to around 20–22°C (68–72°F) (68–72°F).
- When the dough is well developed, add the softened butter in several additions, letting it absorb after each addition.
- Transfer the dough to a container, cover with a cloth, and let it rise at 28°C (82°F) for about 2½ hours, until doubled in volume.
FOR THE SECOND DOUGH
- Transfer Dough 1 to the mixer and add the flour, yeast, sugar, water, and half of the egg yolks (at room temperature).
- Let the dough hydrate well before adding the remaining yolks. As before, mix until a good gluten network forms, making sure the dough doesn’t exceed 28°C (82°F).
- Finish by adding the softened butter in several additions.
- Transfer the dough to a bowl and let it rise again at 28°C (82°F), until doubled in volume.
FOR THE THIRD DOUGH
- When the dough is ready, I recommend chilling it in the fridge for about 45 minutes, to cool it (to about 20–22°C (68–72°F) (68–72°F)) before the final dough.
- Place the proofed and cooled second dough into the mixer. Add the flour and egg yolks and mix until the dough is smooth and develops a strong gluten network.
- Then add the sugar and the honey. Keep mixing until the dough is well developed and releases from the sides of the bowl again.
- Now add the heavy cream and let it absorb fully into the dough.
- When the dough is homogeneous and relatively dry, check the temperature with a thermometer: it should be below 26–28°C (79–82°F) (79–82°F). If it’s warmer, cover and chill in the fridge until it drops to around 20°C (68°F).
- Add the flavor emulsion prepared the day before, in several additions, letting it absorb fully each time.
- Once the dough is well developed, add the candied orange cubes and mix very gently for a few minutes.
- Let the dough rest for about 1 hour, so the gluten can relax and hydration can complete.
- Turn the dough out onto a buttered work surface and divide into the desired sizes: for 1 kg colombe, portion 900 g pieces of dough and let them rest on the bench for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, shape into rounds: fold the dough over itself, then tighten the base to build surface tension. Let the rounds rest for another 15 minutes.
- Divide each round into two pieces: a larger piece (about 2/3 of the dough) and a smaller piece (about 1/3 of the dough).
- Use the larger piece to form the “body” of the colomba. Stretch the dough gently and fold it over itself like you’re doing letter folds. Then roll it lightly into a log and place it in the mold lengthwise (head to tail).
- Form the “wings” with the remaining piece. Shape another log as above and place it crosswise over the central body to form a cross.
- Proof the colombe at 26–28°C (79–82°F) (79–82°F) for 5–6 hours, until the dough reaches about 1 finger below the rim of the paper mold.
GLAZING & BAKING
- Spread about 100 g of the almond glaze you prepared the day before over the surface.
- Sprinkle generously with pearl sugar and a few whole unblanched almonds. Finish with a light dusting of powdered sugar.
- Bake in a static oven at 150°C (302°F) for about 50–55 minutes. During the last 5 minutes, crack the oven door slightly (use a small ball of aluminum foil to keep it ajar) to release excess steam.
- To check doneness, the internal temperature should be about 92°C (198°F).
- Once baked, insert the skewers and invert the colombe for at least 2 hours.
- After that, turn them right side up, remove the skewers, and let cool completely for 6–8 hours before packaging in food-safe bags.
Nutrition
Serving: 4Colombe | Calories: 4511kcal | Carbohydrates: 644g | Protein: 79g | Fat: 188g | Fiber: 21g | Sugar: 391g | Net Carbohydrates: 623g
