Colomba recipe – the perfect centerpiece for your Easter celebration! Colomba, meaning “dove” in Italian, is a sweet, dove-shaped bread synonymous with the Easter season, reminiscent of the beloved panettone. Let’s craft this iconic Italian treat from scratch using home kitchen equipment.
Ingredients:
First dough (primo impasto):
– 300 g (10.58 oz) flour W 380, P/L 0,55
– 45 g (1.59 oz) instant lievito madre
– 95 g (3.35 oz) granulated sugar
– 150 g (5.29 oz) water
– 68 g (2.4 oz) egg yolks
– 90 g (3.17 oz) butter
Second dough (secondo impasto):
– All of the first dough
– 75 g (2.65 oz) flour 00 (T45/ type 405)
– 4 g (0.14 oz) malt powder
– 4 g (0.14 oz) vanilla extract or seeds of one bean
– 0.8 g (0.28 oz) orange aroma (16 drops)
– 0.5 g (0.18 oz) lemon aroma (10 drops)
– 80 g (2.82 oz) granulated sugar
– 18 g (0.63 oz) acacia honey
– 54 g (1.9 oz) egg yolks
– 6 g (0.21 oz) salt
– 120 g (4.23 oz) butter
– ~ 50 g (1.76 oz) water
– 150 g (5.29 oz) Australian raisins
– 74 g (2.61 oz) candied orange peels
– 34 g (1.2 oz) candied lemon zest
Music:
Airport Lounge by Kevin MacLeoda – Attribution 3.0 Unported – CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses
Nighttime Stroll by E’s Jammy Jams – Attribution 3.0 Unported – CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses
Music provided by FreeMusic109
In a mixer, add water, flour, starter, and 1/3 of the egg yolks … and mix for about 15 minutes Be careful to keep the dough cool (about 25-26°C77-78°F) … if the dough warms too fast, put it in the fridge to cool it down Add the remaining egg yolks
… and mix for another 5 minutes Add sugar … and mix for another 10 minutes Finally, add room temperature butter … mixing for about 4 minutes The first dough ferments at 26-28°C (79-82°F) for 10-12 hours At the end of fermentation, the dough should triple in volume Fully deflate the first dough
In a mixer, add the first dough, flour and malt powder … mix for about 15 minutes Then add flavors … mix 2-3 minutes Add all the sugar, honey, an egg yolk … and mix for 2-5 minutes until all ingredients are fully combined Next, add the salt and remaining egg yolks
The next step is to add butter at 18-20°C (64-68°F) … mix for 7 minutes again until fully combined Then add water gradually … mix for 3-4 minutes Finally, add candied fruits soaked in rum or brandy … mix for about 3 minutes at the lowest mixer speed
Immediately after mixing, if necessary, divide the dough Pre-shape it, and let it rest for 20 minutes After resting, shape the dough finally and place it in molds Proof for about 4 hours at a temperature of 26-28°C (79-82°F) Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar grains
Bake at 170°C (340°F) for about 60 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 95°C (203°F) To stabilize and maintain shape, let the panettone cool upside down overnight Enjoy!