Name: Colomba Pasquale (Sweet Italian Easter Dove Bread)
Prep time: 25 h
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 25 h 45 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon cool water (50g); 1/4 teaspoon honey (or cane sugar) (2g); 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (6g); 7 tablespoons bread flour (farina Manitoba type O) (75g); 2/3 cup bread flour (farina Manitoba type O) (96g); 4 large egg yolks, room temperature; 3 tablespoons cool water (45g); 2 teaspoons cane sugar (9g); 6 tablespoons butter, unsalted at room temperature (85g); 5 tablespoons cane sugar (75g); 2 large egg yolks, room temperature; 2 tablespoons warm milk (30g); 1 tablespoon Acacia honey (or other quality honey) (20g); 2 1/4 cups bread flour (325g); 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (6g); 2 cups bread flour (farina Manitoba type O) (260g); 1 tablespoon low-fat milk powder (9g); 3/4 tablespoon diastatic malt powder (5g); 1 cup butter, cubed into small pieces, room temperature) (226g); 6 to 10 tablespoons cane sugar (75-125g)*for sweeter bread, add the full amount of sugar; 5 large egg yolks, room temperature; 1/2 cup cool water (100g); 3 tablespoons warm milk (35g); 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (12g); 2 teaspoons pure vanilla bean powder (or one Tahitian vanilla bean split and seeded) (4g); 1 teaspoon homemade Tarocco orange sugar (or 1 teaspoon of regular sugar + 1/4 teaspoon orange zest) (4g); 1 3/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt, or fine sea salt (*do not use iodized table salt) (10g); 8 1/2 ounces dried apricots (free of preservatives if possible) (242g); 1/4 cup sugar (55g); 3 ounces water (85g)

Jump to Recipe

This homemade sweet artisanal Italian Easter Dove bread is a recipe that needs a little extra time and effort to make. This Italian dessert bread is special because it takes hours to make and develop its beautiful weblike gluten structure. For this authentic Colomba yeast bread recipe, I've made it 100% without the use of a stand mixer. And yes, it was a lot of work, but if you have a long weekend, I suggest diving in and rolling up your sleeves. When you've sliced off your first piece and tasted all your hard work, you won't be sorry you made this sweet Italian Easter bread.

3 paper Colomba molds filled with beautiful super yellow eggy-colored Colomba dough

I've included very detailed step-by-step color-coded instructions as well as photos of each of the different steps for how to make this Italian Easter bread easier to replicate at home. For this first Colomba I made, I actually used a simple coil whisk and my hands to mix and knead everything since I was just back in Italy and had not yet purchased my European KitchenAid mixer. All I can say is that it was bordering on insane, but I managed it which means you can too. But if you have a stand mixer you may want

slices of Colomba bread on a cutting board

What's an Italian Easter Colomba or Colomba Pasquale?

Colomba is a sweet egg-rich Italian yeast bread with a long fermentation time that's baked in a paper mold (like panettone) in the shape of a dove to represent Easter. The taste is hard to describe but it's somewhat like a cross between an even fluffier sweet Challah and cake with a very distinctive aroma and flavor (and this is even an inadequate description). It's totally delicious.

This "dove" bread is only produced and sold in the period leading up to and through the Easter holiday. You won't find a Colomba in August. Which makes it special. It's by far one of the best-tasting dessert breads I've ever eaten. And the best one I've ever had comes from a "pasticceria" (Italian pastry shop) near where we live, called Olivieri 1882. This year we chose the "Colomba Albicocca e Caramello Salato" (Apricot & Salted Caramel). They have several non-traditional flavors like sour cherry, wild berries and white chocolate, triple chocolate, etc. which are also delicious.

ingredients for Colomba di Pasqua or Italian Easter Dessert Bread on countertop with Olivieri 1882 Colomba box, great-granny's bread bowl and Colomba paper mold with Let's Celebrate card from Olivieri

Italian Colomba Research & Development -- Understanding Artisanal Colomba

I researched Olivieri's ingredients plus numerous original versions from famous Italian pastry chefs and built a recipe based on all of this information. It helped a lot to have an actual Colomba to reference for both taste and texture. For any breadmakers out there, this is a challenging bread to make, but it's worth the time and effort.

I'll never forget this first Colomba because I couldn't stop eating it. I had to seal it back up, put it back into its box, and push it away. These artisanal versions of Colomba, Panettone, or Pandora, are becoming increasingly popular in America. But too often these Italian desserts get a bad reputation because so many of the versions we've traditionally had access to in the States are mass-produced and full of preservatives and unnatural ingredients. They're often made many months before they're even expected to be consumed.

Artisanal Colomba uses a natural mother starter versus traditional active or active dry yeast for the leavening which makes it highly digestible. It relies on the highest quality natural ingredients for its incredible flavor (without the use of preservatives or additives). And its slow fermentation and rising time (usually 48 hours) help develop one of the most beautiful weblike dough structures I've ever seen or worked with. You can still find excellent Colomba and Panettone outside of Italy and if you're interested, I suggest seeking out a good one.

all different kinds of Colomba are available

Colomba Comparison in Photos | Olivieri's Artisanal Colomba Versus Biting at the Bits Colomba

Olivieri 1882 (a local pastry shop that's been in the same family since 1882). It's won multiple awards for its Colomba di Pasqua including "Best Italian Colomba di Pasqua, 2019" by Gambero Rosso (Italy's version of the Michelin Guide or Zagats). Plus, numerous other awards including a shout-out by the NYTimes for their "Luxurious feather-light domes" and "They are as good as it gets with Panettone" mention.

And they ship express to America. I've ordered multiple Colombe and Panettone as gifts and it's been a great experience every time. I'm not affiliated with anyone from Olivieri 1882. We just love everything they make. Whether you make your own or not, I recommend buying one from Olivieri to try it, if it's within your budget.

Olivieri 1882 Apricot + Salted Caramel Colomba

Olivieri 1882 Colomba di Pasqua Colomba Albicocca e Caramello Salato

Biting at the Bits Apricot Colomba (inside shot)

How to Make Colomba Pasquale (Sweet Italian Easter Dove Bread) Step-By-Step Instructions and Photos

It's important to show step-by-step photos of how to make Colomba di Pasqua because it helps simplify each stage in the process. Hopefully having this as a resource will help alleviate questions about how or what something should look (or feel like) at any given point in the process. Good luck making your own best-ever Easter Colomba to share with your family and friends and definitely use your stand mixer if you have one (I know I will be next time).

Developing Colomba di Pasqua dough from start to finish without using an electric mixer

STEP 1: making the biga starter

the dough should be very stiff and not stick to your hands

shape it into a ball, cover with non-pvc recyclable plastic wrap and rest for 45 min

STEP 2: first kneading

Flour and sugar in a bowl. — measure the flour and sugar

separate the 4 egg yolks from the egg whites

save 3 egg whites in separate container, cover and refrigerate for tomorrow when making the Colomba topping (save the last egg white to consolidate with the other ones you'll use later on in the recipe...you can make egg white omeletts for breakfast or meringues)

at this point, your biga should look this this

when you pull off the plastic, you can see the structure has started to develop

add the biga to the egg-flour-sugar mixture along with the water

whisk the mixtures together until well blended....it will be fairly tough to do by hand, but I promise it's possible

it should look like this just before the coil whisk comes undone because the dough is too strong for it:)

I switched to using my pliable dough scraper to be able to beat the mixture into submission until it was smooth (I used the pull, string and scrape method until it looked shiny and glossy)

it should be stretchy, soft and thick at this stage

gather it all up to make a dough round, cover with wrap and let rest for about 1 hour or until it's bubbly and puffy on top (it will look shiny, thick and slightly puffed when ready for the next step)

STEP 3: second kneading

sugar with honey in the middle of it looking like a fried egg — while the dough is resting, measure the honey and sugar

sugar and honey and 2 bright orange egg yolks and it sort of looks like Cookie Monster — add two egg yolks (is it just me or does this remind you of the Cookie Monster?)

sugar and honey and 2 bright orange egg yolks in a bowl and a measuring cup pouring milk into the bowl — stir in the milk

add the room temp butter and whisk until smooth

whisk until the butter becomes emulsified

and looks like this (this mixture along with the 2 ¼ cup flour will get added to the dough next)

grab the dough that's been resting...after about 1 hour the dough should be slightly puffed, bubbly, and thick looking

you can see the tiny bubbles all over the top

you should be able to make a slight indention with your finger and it should stay (this is a good indicator the dough is ready for the next addition)

pour the butter-egg mixture into the dough

using a fork start incorporating the liquid into the dough

you can see the weblike structure of the dough that had been resting

these "webs" are a great thing and if you see them, you know you're on the right track

until it becomes one cohesive soft 'mess"

add in the flour and and mix everything together with the paddle attachment on low speed until combined

and stir with the fork to combine everything well

but should start to come together as you scrape ever last bit of flour from the sides of the bowl and incorporate

when it looks about like this its time to scrape it out onto the Silpat or other non-stick baking or prep mat

this is what it looks like just after all the flour is incorporated and you're really ready to start the real kneading process

start kneading and continue for about 10-12 minutes

it's stiff and you need to really work it in order to activate the gluten and start getting a smooth surface

(when you press on it, it should hold the indention slightly

once it's smooth and pliable, shape it into a dough round

rising colomba dough covered in plastic wrap — cover and let rise until lighter, slightly puffed, doubled in size and less glossy (about 3.5 hours in a draft-free area or in the oven with only the light turned on)

MAKING THE CANDIED APRICOTS WHILE THE DOUGH IS RISING

bowl of dried apricots — make the candied apricots by chopping in bite-size pieces

they should look about like this, but can be smaller if you prefer

diced dried apricots — chop the dried apricots into small chunks

candying dried apricots — add the apricots, sugar, and water to a small pan and heat to medium

homemade candied apricots — you'll notice the mixture starts to look glossy and become much softer looking...turn the heat up and continue stirring and cooking until the liquid starts to evaporate

STEP 4: third kneading for final dough

colomba ingredients on the counter — get everything measured and ready to be mixed

mix flour, yeast, malt powder, milk powder, tarocco orange sugar and combine with a fork or a whisk to incorporate ingredients

you'll know it's ready when you can press lightly with 2 fingers and indentions remain

in a medium bowl, mix about ⅓ cup flour mixture with water and half of the butter

whisk this until smooth and light in color(about 2-3 minutes)

add in just a little more flour mixture and beat until it's a bit shaggy

add in the remaining 2 egg yolks, milk, vanilla extract, vanilla powder, and salt and mix until well combined about another minute

add in the sugar and beat until well combined

place the risen dough directly into the mixture and press down

keep pressing the dough into the mixture

then start using your hands to squish and squeeze the two mixtures together

keep going (it's really sticky I know! and this is why this recipe typically calls for use of an electric mixer!) use a dough scraper periodically to scrape the sides of the bowl

eventually, it comes together and will look like this

finally, add in the remaining flour mixture and the last half of the butter

squeezing the mixtures through your hands to incorporate everything

continue kneading for about 10-12 minutes by slapping, pulling, stringing up and slapping the dough back down into the bowl using your hands and/or a dough scraper

it'll start shaping up and you can feel the change in the dough as the gluten structure continues to build

at the end of kneading for 10-12 minutes, shape the dough into a round

add the room temperature candied apricots

and start squishing the mixture through your hands for several minutes

or until the apricots are pretty evenly distributed and the mixture looks like this

butter a dish that's at least 4-6 quarts (*or divide your dough now into 2 equal pieces and place in 2 separate buttered containers)

it should look like this (very soft and supple)

it will grow out of the top of this container by morning...label it and mark where your original dough is so you can record progress (this was my dough at 7:30pm

at 10:55pm this was how much my dough had grown

at 12:25am, this was how much it had grown, so I knew I needed to take the lid off at this point and replace with plastic wrap and then place the whole thing in a larger container because the dough was still going to rise until around 8am the following morning

and I'm really glad I did this because it was coming slightly over the top in the morning

photo taken at 7:51am, so this was a total proofing (proving or rising) time of 12.5 hours

colomba dough rising in 4 qt plastic food container — my Colomba dough spilling out over the top after rising overnight

when you touch the dough at this point it should be super soft and not stick to your finger

gently pour out the dough onto a Silpat or other non-stick baking mat

you can see all the air bubbles and you'll even be able to hear the dough making noise because of all of the air trapped

try not to let too many of these air bubbles collapse

the dough should slide out very easily without any effort leaving a "clean" container

using a dough cutter, cut the dough in half and cut one of the halves into two pieces...use the larger piece to create the long piece of the "dove", place into mold and use a smaller piece for the next piece going horizontal across the long "log"

shows the filled Colomba's ready for last rise before baking

at this point, I had my first espresso of the morning

let rise at room temp or inside the oven with the light on for about 3.5 hours or until puffing up over the top of the molds

Colomba molds full and ready to top and bake

while the Colomba's are rising, make the Colomba nut topping by placing the nuts in the bowl of a food processor

then blend on full speed until it looks like this and not large nut pieces are visible

when you grab a handful and squeeze, it'll look like this

now it's time to add the cornstarch and then egg whites

Once the dough has risen, spread the nut topping evenly onto the tops of each Colomba

I had a little extra but refused to not use it

next add the Paneangeli zucchero (mini sugar "logs" and bake

when they are fully baked and golden brown, remove them from the oven one at a time and pierce with at least 2 wooden skewers in the bottom part of the bread so that you can hang them upside down from poles to cool as seen above

this is a photo taken from underneath the hanging Colomba...I laid on the floor to get this upside down shot..the ceiling is in the background

Colomba in mold in front of a box with black and white lettering — one of the baby Colomba's I baked

this is the large Colomba which collapsed under its own weight in my hands as I describe in the post

this is the large Colomba and shows where the top tore completely open as described in the post

large Colomba that collapsed in my hands (inside shot)

again, not bad for getting flattened twice

Optional Add-ins to Customize Your Homemade Easter Colomba

Colomba and Panettone both contain dried fruits or zest of citrus fruits, nuts, and even chocolate and espresso sometimes. Original classic versions usually include candied citrus peel known as "candita" in Italy (or candied citron) which I'm not too crazy about in large amounts unless it's made the old-fashioned artisanal way in which case it tastes amazing. The addition of dried fruits helps to keep these bread moist and also impart flavor.

I used organic dried apricots and homemade blood orange sugar because I wanted to replicate Olivieri's Apricot and salted caramel colomba which has a slightly fresh orange-caramel flavor. You can get creative with your Colomba fillings by using any of these add-ins or making up your own.

candied citron (lemon, lime, or orange)
½ cup white chocolate chips
½ cup milk or dark chocolate chips
dried cherries
raisins
pears
apples

Colomba dough before adding any apricots

Colomba dough in an oiled container to rise overnight

Colomba molds filled with beautiful super yellow eggy-colored Colomba dough

This Italian Easter Colomba Recipe Makes Enough to Share

You can choose to halve this recipe especially if it's your first time making Colomba. Whatever you decide, you'll just need to order the paper Colomba molds to accommodate your dough. If you choose to make the whole recipe as is, you may choose to make one of the following combinations outlined below. It's possible that you'll have around 375g dough in 300g mold if you choose to make the mini Colomba, but it all works out just fine.

Two 750g (or size C3 paper Colomba molds)
One 750g (27 ounces)Colomba + two 300g mold (10.5 ounces) baby Colomba's (FYI, the 300g mold Colombas are much easier to handle, so If you go with the standard size (750g), have a helper in the kitchen to help you hang it upside down to cool and be sure to reinforce it with double metal skewers before inverting to hang.
Four 300g (10.5 ounces) baby Colomba

a beautifully almond covered crackly glazed top with white sugar logs (known as candita) on top

a slice of Colomba on a cutting board — even when my Colomba was crushed, it still held on to some of its beautiful air pockets and this made great French Toast!

Troubleshooting Homemade Italian Colomba Bread - Mistakes I Made & How You Can Avoid Them

Although I had great success with making and baking this homemade Colomba dough, I had some avoidable mishaps once I removed the Colomba from the oven and hung them upside down to cool. Easter Colomba bread (like Panettone and Pandora) is hung upside down directly after baking so that it doesn't cave in or sink under its own weight as it cools. Colomba's should be tall, light, and airy when baked properly and since this is really a yeast bread filled with candied apricots and not an actual cake, the dough is denser and heavier. So, it must be hung upside down to maintain a nicely domed top. Hopefully, with these tips, you'll be able to avoid making these rookie mistakes.

THE FIRST COLOMBA ISSUE was that one of the mini Colombas that was hanging upside down to cool, dropped to the floor. It was properly secured by two wooden skewers piercing through the bottom half of the bread. However, the poles which I'd haphazardly taped to two chairs were not secure. they rolled and the Colomba fell. To avoid this issue, be sure to plan ahead and build and secure your Colomba "hanging station" securely.

THE SECOND COLOMBA ISSUE was with the regular (larger-sized) Colomba. It rose perfectly, but when I removed it from the oven I was holding it upside down while scrambling to make room to hang it (on the poorly constructed Colomba "hanging station" which already had the two smaller Colombas hanging upside down). And because I hadn't left adequate space to hang the large Colomba, the top dome crushed under its own weight in my hands while I was holding it.

In fact, there was no more room for the large one to fit on the poles I'd constructed. But I went ahead and forced it anyway because I had nowhere else to put it. That's when one of the skewers snapped and broke off and the Colomba started to fall. Luckily, I caught it but not before the top of it tore open. I had to act fast. I immediately took the big Colomba to the countertop and set it down. Where it slowly sank a little more before I decided to use two wire spider strainers turned upside down to rest the Colomba on. When I flipped it back over to rest it on the spider strainers, I again crushed it with my hands.

To avoid this issue:

- - (1) Be sure to plan ahead and build and secure your Colomba "hanging station" on a countertop or table so that if a Colomba falls, it doesn't have too far to drop. Also, make sure there is enough room for all of the Colombas to fit in the given space between the poles. Place two crates equal distances apart on the table. The crates are just tall enough to hang the Colombas from. Tape one pole in place and leave one end of the 2nd pole untaped so that you can adjust if needed to make a wider opening to help fit the largest Colomba. Once the Colomba is in place, move the pole back to position and tape it down to secure it in place.
  - (2) Use metal skewers that are stronger and won't snap (or add a total of 4 wooden skewers to make a double "X" shape and help better support the weight).
  - (3) Ask someone to help you so you have an extra set of hands to help position the Colomba as you're turning it over and securing it to the "hanging station".

Something I'll do differently next time is portion out the dough rounds before they spend the night slowly rising. You'll see in the above photo (of the rectangular dough that's just been gently scooped out of the container and placed onto a nonstick rolling mat) that it's full of little air bubbles. Next time I make this, I will divide the dough into the exact portions needed for each mold, just after the last stage of kneading (and before letting it rise overnight). I'll let each portion rise on its own in smaller, buttered containers and when it's time to place the dough into the molds to bake, I will gently create an oval shape and tuck each portion of dough under itself a little and then place the oval directly into the paper mold. I think this will help maintain the dough structure and as much air and bubbles as possible.

Something I noticed is the sound of this dough. It was full of tiny air bubbles. So much so, that it was making noise as soon as I unwrapped it in the morning. It's unlike any dough I've ever worked with before. But when cutting the dough, then portioning it and trying to form the "logs" I ended up deflating so many of these air pockets which was disappointing. At one point after I felt like I'd handled the dough too much, I wondered if it was going to rise properly. I think you'll see by the photos of my Colomba Vs. Olivieri's Colomba that even though I was a bit too rough on the dough and knocked out a ton of bubbles, it still turned out ok.

1. Build a better support or Colomba "hanging station"

2. Avoid letting the Colomba rise too high before adding the glaze or it can get messy (like this one)

3. A collapsed and torn large Colomba which is avoidable with better planning

Colomba Pasquale (Italian Easter Colomba) Tips & FAQ's

What is Colomba Pasquale or Colomba di Pasqua? Colomba is a rich, sweet, light, and fluffy bread that's topped with a mixture of nuts, sugar, and egg white and baked. It's an "Easter Dove" and is enjoyed throughout Italy at Easter. According to this article, it originated in Milan and may date back to the 6th century. It's likely that it was most like dreamed up by a clever pastry chef in more recent history to sell more bread dough leftover from making the Christmas Panettone season just prior to Easter. Its most traditional flavor is candied orange zest but can be filled with candied citrus or other modern fillings. It's hung upside down just after baking to ensure that the domed top stays high and the crumb stays light and airy.
Can you make Colomba at home? Yes, you can make Colomba at home, although traditionally everyone usually buys it each year from their favorite pasticceria (pastry shop) because it's a very labor intensive yeast bread.
Can you make Colomba Bread or Colomba Pasquale without a stand mixer? Yes, you can, but it's a lot of work because it's a very sticky dough, but the results are worth it. Although, it's definitely easier to make in a stand mixer and this is what I suggest.
Is Colomba the same thing as Panettone? Colomba and Panettone are almost identical, but traditionally the Colomba had only orange zest or candied orange peel in it, whereas Panettone had dried fruits or nuts and citrus.
Where does Colomba come from? Colomba comes from Italy where it was developed to be served for the Easter celebration. Bakers most likely needed a way to use up ingredients left over from making the traditional Christmas Panettone and since the bread is so delicious, the Easter Dove shape was born and it became a tradition.
How do I serve Colomba? Italians enjoy eating Colomba with coffee in the morning, with a side of fresh fruit or whipped cream for dessert or an afternoon snack. But it's just as enjoyable eaten by itself. The best Italian pastry shops recommend slicing the Colomba and heating it ever so slightly in the oven at a low temperature in order to release the natural fragrance and flavors of the ingredients in the bread.

Let's get started!

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How to Make Italian Easter Bread From Scratch (Colomba Pasquale)

What's an Italian Easter Colomba or Colomba Pasquale?

Italian Colomba Research & Development -- Understanding Artisanal Colomba

Colomba Comparison in Photos | Olivieri's Artisanal Colomba Versus Biting at the Bits Colomba

How to Make Colomba Pasquale (Sweet Italian Easter Dove Bread) Step-By-Step Instructions and Photos

Developing Colomba di Pasqua dough from start to finish without using an electric mixer

Optional Add-ins to Customize Your Homemade Easter Colomba

This Italian Easter Colomba Recipe Makes Enough to Share

Troubleshooting Homemade Italian Colomba Bread - Mistakes I Made & How You Can Avoid Them

Colomba Pasquale (Italian Easter Colomba) Tips & FAQ's

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Colomba Pasquale (Sweet Italian Easter Dove Bread)

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What's an Italian Easter Colomba or Colomba Pasquale?

Italian Colomba Research & Development -- Understanding Artisanal Colomba

Colomba Comparison in Photos | Olivieri's Artisanal Colomba Versus Biting at the Bits Colomba

How to Make Colomba Pasquale (Sweet Italian Easter Dove Bread) Step-By-Step Instructions and Photos

Developing Colomba di Pasqua dough from start to finish without using an electric mixer

Optional Add-ins to Customize Your Homemade Easter Colomba

This Italian Easter Colomba Recipe Makes Enough to Share

Troubleshooting Homemade Italian Colomba Bread - Mistakes I Made & How You Can Avoid Them

Colomba Pasquale (Italian Easter Colomba) Tips & FAQ's

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