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Colomba di Pasqua (Easter Dove Bread)

Colomba di Pasqua (Easter Dove Bread) is sweet traditional Italian Easter Dove Bread. The dough issimilar to Panettone but Dove shaped, made from scratch, usually on Good Fridayto enjoy for breakfast, snack or dessert during holidays.

Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Colomba di Pasqua (Easter Dove Bread)
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients

  • Ingredients for sponge:
  • 5 Tbsp warm water
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp active dry yeast
  • 6 Tbsp all purpose flour
  • First kneading ingredients:
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 4 Tbsp sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 Tbsp warm milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
  • Second kneading ingredients:
  • 10 Tbsp all purpose flour
  • 4 Tbsp melted butter
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 Tbsp candied orange and other dried fruits to taste (lemon,  lime, cherry)
  • Orange peel to taste
  • Topping ingredients:
  • 1 egg white
  • 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
  • Sliced almonds to taste ( I used 1 Tbsp )
  • 1 Tbsp pearl sugar

Instructions

  1. Combine all sponge ingredients in your mixer bowl so you can easily add all the other ingredients to finish your dove bread and bake.

  2. After you whisk sponge ingredients, cover the bowl with tea towel and leave to rise at warm place for 1hour.

  3. Add first knead ingredients (all purpose flour, sugar, salt, milk, egg and butter) and knead using your wooden spoon. You'll get smooth ball after 10 minutes. Cover with tea towel and leave to rise at warm place for 2 hours. After two hours, dough volume should be double in size.

  4. Second knead ingredients (all purpose flour, melted butter, egg and candied fruits ) are the last ones to add to your dough. At this point you may turn the mixer to knead your Easter bread with dough hook. After 10 minutes you'll get nice, compact, stretchy dough. I do this with wooden spatula as well.

  5. Prepare your Colomba paper moulds or any other dish you like.

  6. Move your dough to lightly floured surface, knead few times and cut two quarters to make rounded shapes. Roll the other half to have a loaf. Place three little doughs to your Colomba paper pan( do nor grease it ) and let it rest, covered, at warm place, for 4 hours.

  7. In a mug, whisk egg white and powdered sugar.

  8. Preheat the oven to 180 C / 356 F. Place small heat proof pan with 2 cups of water on the bottom of your oven.

  9. Brush your Easter Dove Bread with egg wash and sprinkle with almond slices and pearl sugar.

  10. Bake for 20 minutes. Set your oven temperature to 160 C / 325 F. Cover your Colomba with foil if browning too much and bake for additional 10 – 15 minutes.

  11. Take your Italian sweet bread out and cool completely at room temperature.