Colomba di Pasqua {Easter Dove Bread}

Once I consider Christmas in Italy, I consider Panettone, and this candy bread shaped within the form of a dove is what you discover throughout Italy at Easter. Though Italians outdo themselves baking regional sweets for each vacation, this conventional candy bread is one you will see that in each area at Easter. The dough is similar to Panettone as it’s an enriched dough that features contemporary eggs, sugar, butter, and pure yeast.

The flavorings for this bread normally include candied orange peel and dried fruit, most frequently raisins, though today yow will discover a Colomba made with every thing from chocolate chips to a filling of both lemon or Nutella! Historically this bread is topped with a shiny glaze, pearl sugar, and almonds, and you will see that it in all places at Easter offered wrapped in colourful paper.

These colorfully wrapped candy breads are sometimes given to household and associates as presents at Easter. This candy breads is nice sliced and toasted, eaten with a cappuccino for breakfast, or loved after your meal with a glass of candy wine.

I first made this bread virtually twenty years in the past after we lived in Milan, however since it’s a lot simpler (and cheaper) to purchase top of the range Easter candy breads at your native bakery, I have to admit till this week, I haven’t made it since.

I truly ended up making this bread twice this week. I first adopted an Italian recipe however didn’t really feel that my Colomba rose sufficient. It didn’t have that spectacular look I used to be on the lookout for. I then adopted King Arthur Flour’s model as their recipes have at all times turned out for me.

I made a number of modifications within the recipe, however I discovered that for those who adopted the directions as written, your bread can be overbaked. The recipe was what I used to be on the lookout for, nevertheless, so I simply made a number of modifications and started working.

So why form the bread like a dove? There are lots of variations of the story, however other than stating that the primary Colomba originated in Milan and that the dove represents peace, each legend is totally different. One legend traces this Easter cake to the Lombard king Alboino who throughout the siege of Pavia within the mid-sixth century noticed himself providing, as an indication of peace, a candy pan-shaped dove.

One other legend says the Easter dove linked to the Lombard Queen Teodolinda and the holy Irish abbot San Colombano who refused an enormous meat-filled feast created for him as he was observing Lent. When the Queen took offense, the abbot raised his proper hand as an indication of the cross, and the dishes became white doves of bread, white as their monastic tunics. No matter its origin, this bread represents Easter to many Italians.

This recipe requires an in a single day biga, so it’s best to start out the day earlier than you wish to bake it. Identical to Panettone, it additionally requires lengthy rising or resting durations, about 4 to six hours complete, so do make sure you plan to make this bread when you will have time in your fingers.

For me, it wouldn’t be a Colomba with out candied orange and raisins, but when candied orange is tough to search out or to not your liking, you possibly can use contemporary orange zest as a substitute. I like golden raisins on this bread, and I exploit greater than referred to as for, however any raisin or dried fruit reminiscent of cranberries may very well be used.

Though complete almonds are conventional used to high this bread, I desire sliced almonds as a substitute. I used to be capable of finding the dove-shaped paper types used to make this bread on our latest journey to Emilia Romagna, however you possibly can additionally form the dough by hand as instructed beneath, or simply use a big soufflé dish and form it such as you would a Panettone.

Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele