Colomba pasquale (Easter dove) – mini-cakes
| April 5, 2010 | Posted by ameliaps under cake, dessert, easter, Italian, spring, tradition |
For Easter lunch I made “Colomba pasquale” which literraly means Easter Dove in Italian.
It is a traditional Italian Easter sweet and soft risen bread which contains orange peel (zested or candied) and is topped with a sugar crust and often almonds. The dove is a universal symbol of peace and rebirth and in the Catholic tradition it also symbolizes the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes the cake is filled with Zabaglione (a Marsala cream made with 4 Tbsp of each of sugar and Marsala wine plus 4 egg yolks whisked in a double boiler).
I love keeping with ancient traditions and Colomba is a relatively recent tradition. In the centuries past, bakers used to make a more simple bread called Pandiramerino (Rosemary bread). The bread represented Jesus and the rosemary represented the scented oils used to cleanse His body before burying Him.
“Buona Pasqua” (Happy Easter) and may your spring be full of renewal!!!
Colomba pasquale (Easter dove) – mini-cakes
The recipe is from an Italian baker, Papum, and also see Tania’s version.
Makes 9 doves
Dough:
500 gr (1,1 lb) bread flour
150-170 gr (5-5,7 fl oz) warm water
100 gr. (3,52 oz) sugar
100 gr. (3,52 oz) butter
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 orange (grated zest or you may use candied peel, chopped)
5 gr. (0,17 oz) salt
20 gr. (0,7 oz) brewer’s yeast > I used 1envelope active dry yeast and it was perfect!
Glaze:
3,52 oz granulated sugar
1,76 oz all purpose flour
water
Topping:
Granulated sugar, as needed
Confectioners’ sugar, as needed
Dissolve yeast in the half of water and work them with the other ingredients to form a ball. Add the remaining water little by little and work until dough is smooth and elastic. Then place the dough in the bowl. Cover with a plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume (about 1h and 30minutes).
If the dough is too soft, roll it on itself twice, at interval of 10 minutes, so the dough gathers strength.
Deflate the dough and divide it into pieces of 100 gr. (3,52oz each). Fold the dough over itself and roll, rotate 90 degrees and fold again. Repeat the step for all pieces.
Cut the pieces into two parts. Fold the dough over itself and roll. Repeat the step for all pieces.
Stretch the dough pieces to form the wings and the body.
Repeat the step for all pieces and place them as in the picture:
Arrange the doves on a baking tray covered with parchment paper.
Cover them and let rise until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Preheated the oven at 200-220° C (390-425°F > I used 425°F).
Prepare the Glaze: Mix the flour with the sugar and add enough water to obtain a thick mixture which should not be too runny, just thick enough.
Brush the dove with this mixture, sprinkle with granulated sugar and then with icing sugar.
This will create a nice and “crackly” sugary crust once baked.
Bake in the preheated oven at 200-220° C (390-425°F) for 8-10 minutes.
The texture is bread-like but deliciously sweet.
NOTE: If you want to cover with almonds slices instead of the sugar glaze I used above, brush the doves with an egg yolk wash, top the surface with almond slices, pressing them in slightly, and then sprinkle with granulated sugar crystals.
In Italy it is traditional to gift these cakes.
So I did… to a few good friends:
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We enjoyed this cake with espresso after dinner yesterday afternoon. Your homemade ones look wonderful.
Amelia che belle che sono! Ben gonfie e super soffici, praticamente perfette! E chiarissima anche la spiegazione insomma, un bellissimo post!
FANTASTIC !!! Molto Grazie!!!
[...] The Dove is a symbol of peace and a symbol of Christ. The Easter Dove, a traditional Italian bread, will certainly be a topic of conversation at any Easter gathering. If you want to create lots of smaller Easter Doves, try this Easter Dove Recipe. [...]
Hello Amelia,
Love the way you’ve laid out this recipe with photos to go along with. It’s Good Friday 2011 & I just discovered this… going to try them tomorrow. They look delicious, can’t wait to try!
Mike
They are SCRUMPTIOUS! …a little doughy but the tops were browning… so I’ll have to tweak things a bit. SO glad I found this recipe, Thank you for sharing! Very simple to follow and the pics walked me through easily! Kudos!
[...] love Amelia’s recipe and step by step guide to making colomba http://www.ztastylife.com/2010/04/colomba-pasquale-easter-dove-mini-cakes.html Posted in Baking, Dough, Events, Flour, Recipes | Leave a [...]
We love your recipe and your photos so much that we featured a link on our facebook page and mentioned it in our newsletter. We love these little dove cakes.
Loved ‘em. Will be trying the almond option next!