Dove of Easter: Homemade Italian Colomba di Pasqua Recipe

Celebrate Easter the Italian way with your very own homemade Colomba di Pasqua! This delightful sweet bread, shaped like a dove, is filled with candied fruit and almonds, making it the perfect treat to share with loved ones during the holiday season.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 2-4 People

Ingredients:

• 250g all-purpose flour
• 50g sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 orange
• 7g instant yeast
• 50ml warm milk
• 50g unsalted butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 50g mixed candied fruit (citrus peel, cherries, etc.)
• 30g whole almonds
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, lemon zest, and orange zest until well combined.
2. In a separate small bowl, mix the warm milk and yeast together until the yeast is dissolved. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until frothy (becomes foamy).
3. Make a hollow in the centre of the flour mixture, then pour in the yeast mixture, softened butter, vanilla extract, and one beaten egg.
4. Place the dough onto a surface lightly dusted with flour, then knead it for approximately 10 minutes until it achieves a smooth and elastic consistency.
5. Place the kneaded dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for approximately 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
6. Once risen, punch down the dough and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Gently knead in the candied fruit (or dried fruit) and almonds (or your chosen nut).
7. Shape the dough into a ball. Using your fingers, gently form a head, tail, and wings for the dove shape. If you find shaping challenging, you can use a dove-shaped cake mould instead.
8. Cover the dove loosely with plastic wrap and let it rise for another 30 minutes.
9. In a small bowl, whisk together the reserved egg white with a tablespoon of water.
10. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Brush the top of the dove with the egg wash and sprinkle with sliced almonds and pearl sugar (optional). You can also use chopped nuts or candied fruit for the topping. Bake until golden brown, typically around 25-30 minutes.
11. Let the Colomba cool completely on a wire rack before dusting it with powdered sugar. Enjoy!