Bicolor sweet Danubio

The Bicolor sweet Danubio is a variation of the classic sweet Danubio, typical of the Campania tradition, and it is characterized by the alternation of light and dark dough spheres. Here’s how to make it:

Ingredients

For the white dough:

• 250 g of all-purpose flour
• 125 ml of lukewarm milk
• 25 g of sugar
• 25 g of soft butter
• 7 g of fresh brewer’s yeast
• 1 medium egg
• A pinch of salt

For the cocoa dough:

• 250 g of all-purpose flour
• 125 ml of lukewarm milk
• 25 g of sugar
• 25 g of soft butter
• 7 g of fresh brewer’s yeast
• 1 medium egg
• 20 g of unsweetened cocoa powder
• A pinch of salt

For the filling:

• Pastry cream
• Chopped dark chocolate

For brushing:

• 1 egg yolk
• Milk as needed

Preparation

1. White Dough:

   • In a bowl, dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm milk and add a teaspoon of sugar taken from the total, letting it dissolve.
   • In another bowl, sift the flour and add the remaining sugar and salt.
   • Pour the dissolved yeast with the milk into the flour, start kneading, and add the lightly beaten egg.
   • Work the dough until it is homogeneous, then incorporate the soft butter and continue to work until the dough is smooth and elastic.
   • Form a ball, place it in a bowl covered with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until it doubles in volume.

2. Cocoa Dough:

   • Repeat the same procedure for the white dough, adding the sifted cocoa together with the flour.

3. Shaping the Danubio:

   • Once risen, take pieces of dough weighing about 30-40 g each.
   • Flatten each piece with your hands, put a teaspoon of pastry cream or a piece of chocolate in the center, and close it forming a ball.
   • Alternate the balls of light and dark dough in a buttered and floured pan or lined with parchment paper, leaving some space between them as they will need to rise again.
   • Let the assembled Danubio rise for about 1 hour or until it puffs up and the balls are attached to each other.

4. Baking:

   • Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
   • Gently brush the Danubio with an egg yolk beaten with a little milk.
   • Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until it is golden brown on top.
   • Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack.

The Bicolor sweet Danubio is an excellent solution for a particularly inviting snack or breakfast. The contrast between the two doughs provides not only a visual but also a pleasant variety of flavors.

Curiosity

The name “Danubio” probably derives from the shape that resembles the waves of the river of the same name, with its multiple “balls” of dough attached to one another. It is a recipe that can be personalized with different creams or fillings according to one’s preferences.