Traditional Italian Dove Bread for Easter (Colomba di Pasqua)
User Reviews
4.9
94 reviews
Excellent
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Prep Time
1 hr
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Cook Time
1 hr
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Total Time
2 hrs
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Servings
12
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Calories
282 kcal
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Course
Bread, Baked Goods
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Cuisine
Italian
Traditional Italian Dove Bread for Easter (Colomba di Pasqua)
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Traditional Italian Dove Bread, or Colomba di Pasqua, is a sweet yeast bread enriched with egg yolks, butter, and citrus zest, shaped into a dove form often with a crunchy almond sugar topping. It combines bread flour, vanilla, and yeast to create a tender crumb. The unique shaping and topping make it a special Easter bread with a soft, fragrant texture and a sweet, nutty crust.
Description
This Easter bread starts with warm water, egg yolks, vanilla, grated lemon and orange peel mixed in a bread machine pan with sugar, salt, flour, butter, and yeast. After kneading and the dough doubles in size, it is shaped into a dove using either a paper mold or hand-shaped aluminum foil mold for support. A topping made from egg white, cornstarch, ground almonds, sugar, pearl sugar, and whole almonds is spread on top to create a crunchy, sweet crust during baking.
The bread produces a lightly sweet, aromatic loaf with citrus and almond notes, soft inside and contrasting topping. It is served during Easter celebrations and makes for a festive centerpiece or gift. The shaping into a dove is symbolic and often part of Italian Easter traditions.
If a paper mold is not available, forming a dove shape from sturdy folded aluminum foil is an effective alternative. This does not affect the taste but alters appearance slightly.
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Ingredients
- 6 oz water warm, about 110°F/43°C
- 4 egg large, yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla
- ½ cups sugar
- 1 tsp lemon preferably from organic fruit, grated (zest or peel
- 1 tsp orange grated (zest or peel
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ c butter softened and cut into pieces, unsalted
- 3¼ cups flour (bread flour is best, but all purpose or plain works too)
- 1 dry yeast preferably for bread machines, but any type will work-I used regular, package
Topping
- 1 egg white
- 1 tsp corn starch
- ¼ cup ground almonds
- ⅓ cup sugar 65 g sugar
- 2 Tbsp pearl sugar and/or Swedish pearl sugar, Belgian
- almonds whole
Instructions
- Place the water, egg yolks, vanilla, and grated peel into the bread machine first. Next add the sugar, salt, flour and pieces of butter around the outside of the metal pan on top of the flour (see photo below). Make an indentation in the flour and add the yeast. Start the bread machine on “dough” setting.
- When the machine is finished, allow to rise until doubled in size.
- To make the mold. Cut pieces of aluminum foil and fold them over and over to make a long strip (see photo in post). Join them together with metal paper clips and shape into a "dove" shape. I didn't have heavy duty aluminum foil, but this type would be best as it holds it's shape better. Alternatively (and a better option), use a paper dove mold.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and knead into a ball then cut 1/3 of the dough off and shape into a log. Shape the larger piece into a larger log.
- The larger piece will go lengthwise into the mold and be the body of the dove, while the smaller piece will go across the top and become the wings. Place the dove shaped dough into the oven (with the oven off) and allow to rise until at least doubled (probably 2 to 3 hours).
- When the bread has finished rising, remove it from the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
- Beat the egg white, corn starch, almond meal, and regular sugar with a fork in a small bowl until well combined. I used almond meal which has the peel in it and it still looks fine when baked. Brush this over the top of the dove bread.
- Next, scatter the Belgian and/or Swedish pearl sugar over the top, and dot with whole almonds.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 325°F/160°C and continue to bake until a long, thin skewer comes out clean (about another half an hour). If the top browns too quickly, cover with aluminum foil. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the tray for about 15 minutes.
- Remove the aluminum foil after the bread has cooled. This bread will keep for a week or so, and remember that it's great for making those bread puddings I told you about, if it gets a wee bit stale.
Equipments used:
Notes
- If you cannot find a paper dove mold for shaping, use heavy-duty aluminum foil folded and clipped to form the dove shape; the bread will bake the same though it may look less refined.
- Using bread flour improves the texture, but all-purpose flour works if needed.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1slice
Calories
282kcal
(14%)
Carbohydrates
41g
(14%)
Protein
5g
(10%)
Fat
11g
(17%)
Saturated Fat
6g
(30%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
(6%)
Monounsaturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Trans Fat
0.3g
(15%)
Cholesterol
85mg
(28%)
Sodium
107mg
(4%)
Potassium
51mg
(1%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
14g
(28%)
Vitamin A
324IU
(6%)
Calcium
21mg
(2%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 282 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1slice | |
| Calories | 282kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 41g | 14% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 0.3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 85mg | 28% |
| Sodium | 107mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 51mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 14g | 28% |
| Vitamin A | 324IU | 6% |
| Calcium | 21mg | 2% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
94 reviews
Excellent
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