A Typical Italian Easter Cake – the Colomba Pasquale

I think (nearly) every one in the world knows the Italian Christmas cakes Panettone and Pandoro. They are similar and sold everywhere in the world – or nearly.

But there is a facs simile for the Easter time as well: the colomba pasquale or Easter Dove.

If you look into history: it is a treat not even a hundred years old. It was the Milanese baker Angelo Motta who invented this cake for Easter to have another good going sweet treat as the Panettone for Christmas.

As I don’t eat much these cakes but they are tradition I never have done one by my own. But when I am with family or friends of cause there will be one and I had always a piece. Now I can’t eat anymore gluten, sugar and milk (and for sure couldn’t even before but I didn’t know then) I thought to have a look how I can try one by my own.

I found a recipe on the page ‘cook around’ (in Italian) and took that recipe as base to work on it. I changed a few things like sugar to honey, milk to almond milk and creme to cocos milk creme and gave it a try.

A lot of waiting to let the dough rise twice but the result looked really great. I wouldn’t open it before a day later as I got to see some friends. We cut the ‘dove’ into pieces and… voilà: a nearly same colomba pasquale as the one at the supermarket. Just gluten-free, without sugar and dairy and perfect for celiacs and ‘paleos with rare exceptions’.

We finished in two nearly half of the treat (OK, we had no lunch at all due to too much work), another 5 people (no paleos) tried it and liked it a lot (one said good but the gluten-version is better.. youngsters!)

Of course I will give you the recipe so you can do one for your Easter treat and don’t have to miss anymore a colomba pasquale if you are Italian.

Happy Easter!

 

Colomba gluten free
Colomba
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
12 pieces 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
30 minutes 3.5 hours
Servings Prep Time
12 pieces 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
30 minutes 3.5 hours
Colomba gluten free
Colomba
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
12 pieces 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
30 minutes 3.5 hours
Servings Prep Time
12 pieces 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
30 minutes 3.5 hours
Ingredients
Poolish
  • 100 g flour (made of rice flour, starch and xantam gum)
  • 100 ml water lukewarm
  • 9 g yeast gluten free
Dough
Frosting
Servings: pieces
Instructions
  1. For the poolish mix all ingredients together and set apart for 1.5 hours so it can double. Best in a warm place.
  2. When the poolish is ready put all ingredients for the dough in a larger bowl. Stir all together.
  3. Add the poolish and mix well.
  4. Poor the ready dough into the colomba form and spread evenly.
  5. Set apart again in a warm place and let it double for two hours.
  6. Just before the time is over put on the oven and preheat to 180°C/350°F
  7. When the colomba has grown well prepare the frosting. Put just the first 3 ingredients together and stir well. Spread the mixture on the dough with care. For garnish put the almonds on the dough.
  8. Put in the oven for 30 minutes. Tooth pick prove! Switch off the oven and let set for other 5 minutes. Then take out and let it cool out.
Recipe Notes

The Colomba I did was (nearly) perfect. I think I let it a few minutes too long in the oven (still have to understand well how it works as it is a new one). Mine came out lightly too dry along the outer side. In the middle it was moisture and really perfect.

Who likes to put other than lemon and/or orange zest can change with chocolate chips (at least 90 % chocolate) or who likes candied fruits?

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