Colomba di Pasqua

The Colomba di Pasqua ("Easter Dove") is the typical Italian sweet to taste at Easter. 

Despite the fact that its origin is often placed in the High Middle Ages, the truth is that they are apocryphal stories that have little to do with reality. The truth is that it was created in the 30s of the last century by the same people who created the Panettone with the sole purpose of giving people a typical sweet for Easter, something they had already achieved with the first. This is the reason why the Colomba di Pasqua bears a certain resemblance to the Panettone: a dense bread flavored and sweetened conscientiously.

Making the Colomba is complex and requires the use of flour with a high gluten content (extra strength), usually called Manitoba flour because it usually comes from that Canadian territory. Apart from the fact that the ingredients are somewhat special, it also requires double fermentations so that the level of complexity in its preparation is high, at the level of Panettone, perhaps even more.

As you know, this blog tries to simplify recipes without ceasing to be traditional and we have done the same with the Colomba. We leave you the simplified recipe as it is also done in Italian homes. The complex one is usually left for confectioneries and is acquired in them, it is rarely made in homes.

INGREDIENTS :

• 350 grams (12 oz) of flour
• 150 grams (5.3 oz) of sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 orange
• 1 lemon
• 150ml (3/4 cup) whole milk
• 100 ml (1/2 cup) of sunflower oil
• 20 grams (1 tbsp) of baking powder
• 1 tablespoon of almond essence
• 50 grams (1.8 oz) of sugar (to decorate)
• A dozen raw almonds (to decorate)
• Optional: chocolate pearls, candied fruit pieces or pitted raisins

First, we separate the whites from the yolks.

With a pinch of salt and three drops of lemon juice, whip the egg whites until stiff. If you have some electric rods, it is time to use them. They will be ready when the egg whites do not fall out when turning the bowl. We booked.

In another bowl and also with the help of the rods we beat the yolks with 150 grams (5.3 oz) of sugar. When it foams, we proceed to grate the skin of the orange and lemon. We mix well.

Add half a cup of sunflower oil (100 ml) and 3/4 of a cup of whole milk (150 ml) to the mixture of yolks, in addition to the almond aroma, and beat again with the same whipping rods.

When everything is well mixed, add 350 grams (12 oz) of flour little by little, without stopping beating, and especially sifted so that it does not make lumps.

When we have a very homogeneous mixture, we add 20 grams (1 tbps)  of baking powder. Beat well so that it is well distributed.

It is time to add the things that we also find in Panettone: pitted raisins, candied fruit or chocolate pearls. But it is not uncommon to leave it as is.

It is time to add the egg whites that we had assembled at the beginning. We incorporate them and with enveloping movements from top to bottom we mix them with the mass of the yolks. We already have the mass of the Colomba.

Now it's time to pour it into the mold. This mold traditionally has the shape of a cross, with one arm longer than the other, which would be the shape of a dove (very stylized and with a lot of imagination, of course). You can buy it online, there are paper, silicone or metal ones, or you can do without it and use a round mold since the flavor will of course not be altered.

Once we have the dough in the mold, it is covered with sprinkled sugar and with whole raw almonds, generally unpeeled.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (356 F) and place the Colomba for 40 minutes. Once the time has elapsed, we stick a toothpick in the center and if it comes out dry, it is ready.

Serve it at room temperature and enjoy !