There are many sweet Easter breads from around the world you might choose to liven up your table, but this sourdough Colomba Pasquale dove bread is my favorite. With a delicious, though optional, almond flour sugar glaze this bread makes the perfect light dessert this spring. Because this is a long-ferment sourdough recipe, it’s also optimized for health! 
More Sourdough Bread Recipes for Later:
Nearly every Christian nation on earth has some kind of Easter bread and I truly love them all. However, there’s something about this Italian dove bread that is simply so scrumptious.
With vanilla, dried fruit, and orange zest this holiday sweet bread is mildly sweet. With the added long ferment, sourdough Colomba Pasquale is also a healthier treat than you might otherwise get this time of year.
What is Colomba Pasquale?
Colomba Pasquale is a traditional Ialian Easter bread made in the shape of a dove. The name translates from the Italian into Easter (Pasquale) Dove (Colomba).
It is traditionally topped with an almond flour and sugar glaze, as well as sliced almonds and pearl sugar. The bread is also made with a fragrant vanilla-citrus scented flavoring called Fiori di Sicilia.
In Italy (or online), you can find paper molds in which to bake the bread so you don’t have to go to the trouble of shaping the dough.
The dove represents peace and new beginnings in Christian culture, which makes it a perfect Easter bread.
Poor Woman’s Colomba Pasquale Substitutions
This recipe for sourdough Colomba Pasquale doesn’t have the more refined traditional ingredients because I simply don’t keep them on hand, even though I make this bread every year.
- Pearl sugar, while lovely, is just another source of harmful carbohydrate/sugar. Besides, it’s a little pricey for me.
- Since I make my own vanilla and know how to zest an orange, I don’t bother to keep Fiori di Sicilia on hand.
- I’m also happy to simply shape my own Colomba Pasquale, so I don’t purchase dove molds. I show you how to shape the dough yourself, so you don’t need to order any, either.
Although, I will say, those molds are pretty neat and they work really well. Some years, I’ll buy round ones to make Sourdough Kulich.
Sourdough Colomba Pasquale Recipe
Sourdough Colomba Pasquale is the perfect Easter bread being both light and mildly sweet. The sourdough culture makes the bread a much healthier treat, while the dried fruit and citrus zest add a delicious zing. It’s also a beautiful bread being shaped like a sweet, little dove!
Sourdough Colomba Pasquale
Ingredients
The Dough
- 1/2 Cup Sourdough Starter
- 1 Cup Whole Milk
- 2 Egg Yolks (Reserve the Whites)
- 1 tsp. Vanilla
- Zest of 1 Orange (About 1 Tbsp.)
- 1 Cup Melted Butter, Cooled
- 1 Whole Egg
- 3 Cups Organic White Flour
- 1/3 Cups Raw Sugar
- 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
- 1 Cup Mixed Dried Fruit (Raisins, Currants, Cranberries, Pineapple)
The Glaze
- 2 Egg Whites
- 1/2 Cup Almond Flour
- 1/4 Cup Organic White Sugar
- 4 Tbsp. Raw Sugar Crystals
- 1/2 Cup Slivered Almonds (Optional)
Instructions
- Combine 1/2 cup of sourdough starter, 1 cup of whole milk, 2 egg yolks, 1 whole egg, 1 tsp. vanilla, zest of one orange, and 1 cup of melted butter cooled to room temperature in a bowl.
- In separate bowl, combine 3 cups of flour, 1/3 cups of sugar, 1/2 tsp. sea salt, and 1 cup of mixed dried fruit.
- Combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir well. I usually start mixing with my spurtle and then finish with my hands so I can feel the texture. The dough should be firm but still a bit moist.
- Shape the dough into a bowl and put a lid on it. Set it in a warm place where it can ferment undisturbed for at least 6 hours. You may also place it in the fridge overnight.
- Dampen a clean counter and remove the dough from the bowl to divide it in thirds. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper to fit.
- Take one third of the dough and roll or pat it out to about a half inch tall on the parchment paper. Form a bow tie-type shape for the wings and be sure it's centered.
- Take the last two thirds of the dough and place it on the counter. Round the center to be the belly and pinch the bottom to flair it out in the shape of a fanned out tail. Shape head and shape an oval with a beak.
- Place the body on top of the wings and settle it to form a dove shape.
- If you'd like to use the slivered almonds, place them on the tips of the tail, the beak, and the wings.
Mix the Glaze
- Mix 2 egg whites, 1/2 cup of almond flour, 1/4 cup of organic cane sugar, and 4 Tbsp. of raw sugar crystals.
- Use a pastry brush to paint the glaze onto the dough, all over to the edges.
- Set the oven to 375F/191C and place the Colomba Pasquale dough into the oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350F/176C and bake for a further 30 minutes. Cover with foil or parchment paper if the bread begins to darken beyond a toasty brown. The bread is done when it registers 190F/88C on a thermometer.
- Allow to cool completely and slice like you would biscotti. You can also tear it apart in body part pieces if you're serving kids who couldn't care less about presentation.
Notes
Sourdough Colomba Pasquale Notes
Combine the dry ingredients and coat the zest and dried fruit with the flour. Add the wet ingredients to the dry.
Mix the dough with a spoon to start, but I always change over to my hands. Mixing the dough by hand helps you feel when the moisture is absorbed and the dough is cohesive.
Shape the dough into a bowl and put a lid on it. Set it in a warm place where it can ferment undisturbed for at least 6 hours and note the time with a dry erase market.
You may also place it in the fridge overnight and pull it out to shape while the dough is cold. You can allow it to sit for an hour or so to warm up and poof up a bit.
Take one third of the dough and form a bow tie-type shape for the wings. Center the wings on the parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Take the last two thirds of the dough and place it on the counter. Round the center to be the belly and pinch the bottom to flair it out in the shape of a fanned out tail. Shape head and shape an oval with a beak.
Place the body on top of the wings and settle it to form a dove shape.
Optional Glaze for the Sourdough Colomba Pasquale
The dove bread can be baked without the glaze, but it adds a sugary/grainy texture that looks cool. You can also add the pearl sugar once at this stage, if you’re using it.
To make the glaze for the dove bread, mix:
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 cup of almond flour
- 1/4 cup of organic cane sugar
- 4 Tbsp. of raw sugar crystals.
Then, use a pastry brush to paint the glaze onto the dough, all over to the edges.
To bake the dove bread:
- Set the oven to 375F/191C and place the Colomba Pasquale dough into the oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350F/176C and bake for a further 30 minutes.
- Cover with foil or parchment paper if the bread begins to darken beyond a toasty brown. The bread is done when it registers 190F/88C on a thermometer.
Allow to cool completely and slice like you would biscotti. You can also tear it apart in body part pieces if you’re serving kids who couldn’t care less about presentation.
You can also slice the bread but keep it in the shape of the dove.
–>> Pin This Recipe for Later <<–
Leave a Reply