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Colomba Easter Bread Recipe

Colomba di Pasqua is a traditional Easter bread, shaped as a Dove to depict peace, love and harmony. Serving as Easter's equivalent to the Christmas time panettone and pandoro, the luscious and airy Colomba is traditionally crafted using premium flour, fresh eggs, sugar, butter, and natural yeast and then topped with pearl sugar and almonds. Making a Colomba is very complex. Even the most traditional Nonna’s opt to purchase theirs instead of making it themselves! So here we have adjusted the recipe, to make it slightly quicker and more achievable for a home baker without the slow rise and proving drawers. In this recipe, we have used Filippo Berio Mild & Light Olive Oil, with it’s delicate flavour, it is perfect for baking.

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 60 mins

Used in this recipe

Ingredients

320g of self-raising flour
180g of caster sugar
3 separated eggs (yolks and whites)
150 mls of milk
90 mls of Filippo Berio Mild & Light Olive Oil
1 teaspoon of almond extract
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Zest from 1 orange
Zest from 1 lemon
100g of mixed peel
30g of flaked almonds
20g Granulated Sugar

Method

Preheat your oven to 180˚C / 360˚F.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the caster sugar and Filippo Berio Mild & Light Olive Oil until fully combined.
In another bowl, separate the eggs, keeping the egg whites aside. These will be whisked later.
To the sugar mixture, add the milk, egg yolks, extracts, and citrus zest. Gently combine all ingredients.
Gradually sift the self-raising flour into the mixture, whisking continuously until it forms a smooth batter.
Set the batter aside and whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
Fold the whipped egg whites into the batter and add the mixed peel.
Transfer the batter to a cake mould and sprinkle flaked almonds and granulated sugar on top.
Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until the cake is fully cooked.

Mild & Light In Colour Olive Oil

From £10.99

This Olive Oil is a healthy substitute for other cooking oils. With its high smoke point it is the ideal choice for frying, stir-frying and baking. The light bouquet allows the natural flavour of food to come through.