Name: Colomba Italian Easter Dove Bread
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 14
Ingredients: 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast; 1/2 cup lukewarm water ((117 grams)); 1 cup + 1 tablespoon flour ((138 grams)); 2 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons flour ((360 grams)); 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon butter - divided ((162 grams)); 3/4 cup sugar ((150 grams)); 5 egg yolks; 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon milk ((135 grams)); 1 teaspoon vanilla; zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 - 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips ((45-90 grams)); 1 egg white; 2 tablespoons powdered sugar; 15-20 whole almonds (more or less); 2-3 tablespoons Pearl or Nib sugar

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Colomba Italian Easter Dove Bread, a delicious sweet yeast bread, bake it with your favourite fillings, chocolate chips, candied fruit, raisins or even plain. The Perfect Sweet Bread for Easter Breakfast, Brunch or even Dessert.

Italian Easter Bread

You know it’s almost Easter in Italy when every grocery store you go to is filled with every type of La Colomba Italian Easter Dove Bread.

What is Colomba and what does it mean

La Colomba is a delicious sweet bread made with yeast. In English Colomba means Dove. While Pandora or Panettone is the traditional Cake/Bread for an Italian Christmas, then Colomba is the traditional bread for Easter.

How to make Colomba

To make the Classic Colomba you have to start with a starter dough. This is a yeast dough that is not as complicated as it looks, you just need patience and time.

First Step is to make a Starter dough

In a medium bowl add tepid water and yeast, let sit 3-5 minutes then stir to combine.
Slowly drizzle in some of the flour, mix to combine until it forms a ball (it will be quite sticky), then place the dough in a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel, place in a warm draft free area and let it rise for one hour.

2nd Step make your Sweet Dough

In a large bowl mix together the remaining flour, sugar, egg yolks, some of the softened butter softened, vanilla, zest and salt, add the milk a little at a time, mixing until dough is soft and elastic,
Move the dough to a lightly floured flat surface, (keep surface lightly floured at all times, because dough is quite sticky).
Spread the dough then add the risen starter dough, knead to combine (approximately 5 minutes), place in a large clean bowl, cover with plastic and let rise in a warm draft free location for 1 hour.

2ND KNEADING

Place dough on lightly floured surface and knead in 3 1/2 tablespoons butter softened (50 grams), approximately 3 minutes (there may be spots of butter throughout the dough).
Place in a clean bowl, cover with plastic and a clean kitchen t towel, let rise in a warm draft free location for 4 hours.

3RD KNEADING

Place dough on lightly floured surface and knead in 2 1/2 tablespoons butter softened (30 grams), chocolate chips (or candied fruit or raisins if using) approximately 3 minutes (there may be spots of butter throughout the dough).
Place dough in an un-greased and un-floured dove pan or cake pan (9 or 10″ / 22-25 centimeters), cover with plastic and a clean kitchen t towel, let rise in a warm draft free location for 3 hours.

TIME FOR BAKING

In a small bowl beat together until thick, egg white and powdered/icing sugar, coat top of final risen dough, sprinkle with whole almonds and pearl / nib sugar.
Bake in 350° (180° celsius) Pre-heated oven for approximately 45-60 minutes or until toothpick (I used a wooden kabob stick) comes out clean and dry. Let cool before serving.

If you can’t find pearl / nib sugar then I have a recipe for Homemade Pearl Sugar on my Ciambella Romagnola Italian Cake.

Can the Colomba / Dove Bread be made in a Stand up Mixer?

Yes if you don’t want to or can’t knead the dough by hand then yes just make sure to use the dough hook of the mixer and cut the knead time by a little less than half.

Last Easter I made a delicious Easter Bread that was always baked and shared at Easter time when I was a kid by my sister’s late mother-in-law.

And now since I am having so much fun baking with yeast, I just had to try La Colomba this Easter. Which I am remaking again this Easter.

What can you use as a filling for Italian Easter Bread?

Usually these Italian sweet breads are filled with candied fruit or raisins, and since a few members of my family don’t like candied fruit and the other couple don’t like raisins, chocolate chips won.

In Italy you can purchase these delicious sweet breads with chopped chocolate or chips and also covered with melted chocolate! Which I have to say is one of my favourites!

I know I have said it before and I will continue to say it, do not be afraid to bake with yeast.

I never used to make Sweet Doughs with yeast because I was convinced it was difficult and would taste yeasty. But believe me it isn’t and it doesn’t.

I started with a simple Brioche and now I have tackled this amazing Colomba Italian Easter Dove Bread.

Whether you have tried this delicious sweet bread before or not then I think you should try making it yourself. Surprise everyone at Easter with An Italian Easter Bread.

Remember all you need is time and patience. It just might become your new Easter tradition. Enjoy!

Colomba Italian Easter Dove Bread, a traditional Easter Holiday Italian Sweet Bread, a perfect dessert or snack treat recipe.

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