Colomba di Pasqua is Italy’s beloved Easter dove bread—a rich, buttery yeasted cake full of citrus aroma, topped with a traditional almond glaze. Shaped like a dove, this festive bread symbolizes peace and new beginnings. While classic Colomba is made with a sourdough starter (lievito madre), it can be a multi-day process requiring precise care.
This faster Colomba recipe uses dry yeast and takes less than half the time while preserving the traditional flavor and texture. Soft and aromatic with a delicate crumb, it’s the perfect base for classic versions with candied orange or creative twists like chocolate chips or pistachio cream.
🎥 Watch the full step-by-step in our video below to see the shaping, mixing, and baking in action.
🎥 How to Make Colomba di Pasqua (Watch the Video Recipe!)
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What Is Colomba di Pasqua?
Colomba di Pasqua (Easter Dove Bread) is the sweet bread traditionally enjoyed throughout Italy on Easter Sunday. Like its Christmas cousin, panettone, it’s enriched with butter and eggs, and scented with orange and vanilla. But unlike panettone, it’s shaped into a dove and traditionally topped with a crunchy almond glaze and pearl sugar.
This version uses dry yeast for a quicker, beginner-friendly approach. For those interested in the full sourdough version, we’ll be sharing that in another recipe coming soon.
Ingredients & Variations
This Colomba is made with two doughs (impasti). Below are our base ingredients and optional fillings to make it your own.
⭐ Recommended Variations:
- Candied Fruit (classic):
- Use 150 g (5.3 oz) of candied orange or citron for 1 Colomba, or 300 g (10.6 oz) for 2
- Chocolate Chip Colomba:
- Swap candied fruit with 130 g (4.6 oz) of chocolate chips per Colomba
- Nutty Colomba:
- Add 2–3 tablespoons of pistachio or hazelnut butter into the second dough with the flavor mix
- Mixed Citrus Colomba:
- Combine candied orange and lemon, or use citrus marmalade as part of the flavor paste
🍊 Flavor Paste (prepare ahead):
- Zest of 1 orange
- 90 g (3.2 oz) orange paste
- 30 g (1 oz) Sicilian mandarin jam
- 1 vanilla bean or extract
🍬 Are Bitter Almonds Safe to Use?
Bitter almonds (mandorle amare) are a traditional ingredient in Italian pastry-making, prized for their intense aroma and deep almond flavor. You’ll often find them in the glaze of Colomba di Pasqua or as part of amaretti and marzipan.
That said, they do contain natural compounds (amygdalin) that can release small amounts of cyanide when ingested raw in large quantities. For this reason, they are regulated or restricted in some countries.
But here’s the good news:
✅ In very small amounts, such as those used in traditional Italian glazes (typically just a few grams per loaf), bitter almonds are considered safe for culinary use.
✅ We always recommend sourcing them from reputable vendors who supply food-grade bitter almonds in compliance with safety regulations.
🛡️ Prefer to Avoid Bitter Almonds?
No problem! The flavor can be beautifully replicated using:
- All sweet almonds
- A touch of almond extract (½–1 tsp for 2 Colombe)
- Or even a mix of sweet almonds + hazelnuts for a more delicate glaze
You won’t lose the essence of the recipe—just a bit of that nostalgic punch that bitter almonds bring.
Storage & Serving
- Storage: Keeps for 5–6 days tightly wrapped at room temperature.
- To Refresh: Warm slices in the oven at 100°C (212°F) for a few minutes.
- Serve with: A glass of Moscato d’Asti, Vin Santo, or coffee.
🕊️ Bake the Tradition!
Tried this faster Colomba di Pasqua recipe? Leave a comment below and don’t forget to tag @piattorecipes on YouTube or Instagram to share your Easter celebration!
🛠️ Recommended Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook
- Kitchen scale: https://amzn.to/42ojxk1
- Dove-shaped Colomba molds (1 kg capacity x 2)
- Proofing container or large bowl
- Pastry spatula and dough scraper
- Oven thermometer
- Pastry brush
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Traditional Colomba di Pasqua Recipe (with Dry Yeast – Faster Method)
Equipment
- 2 colomba forms 1 kg capacity
- 1 stand mixer you aren't going to want to knead this by hand!
- 4 skewers each cake needs 2 skewers to extend the through the finished cake to support it while it cools upside down
- 1 kitchen scale weighing ingredients is more accurate for baking and accuracy is important here!
- 1 oven thermometer optional—but very helpful for determine that your Colomba is cooked inside.
Ingredients
First Dough
- 230 g water lukewarm
- 500 g strong bread flour example: w 480 or manitoba
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 150 g butter softened
- 100 g egg yolks
- 2 tsp instant dry yeast: 6 g = 2 tsp
Second Dough
- 300 g strong bread flour w 480 or manitoba
- 110 g granulated sugar
- 240 g butter softened
- 110 g egg yolks
- 1¼ tsp fine salt
- 125 ml water lukewarm
Aromatics
- 90 g orange paste
- 1 vanilla bean seeds
- 30 g orange blossom honey
The Glaze
- 43 g egg whites 43 g = 1½ egg whites
- ½ tsp powdered sugar
- 85 g granulated sugar
- 16 g sweet almonds
- ½ tbsp bitter sicilian almonds or replace with sweet almonds
- 12 g hazelnuts
- ½ tsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp potato starch
- ½ tsp rice flour
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp natural almond extract or to taste
Topping
- whole sweet almonds unpeeled
- pearl sugar as needed
Instructions
Prepare the Flavoring
- Combine all of the ingredients for the flavoring. It’s best it sits overnight to develop flavor.90 g orange paste, 1 vanilla bean, 30 g orange blossom honey
First Dough
- In a bowl, mix the flour with dry yeast.500 g strong bread flour, 2 tsp instant dry yeast:
- In the mixer bowl, combine warm water and half the sugar.230 g water, 100 g granulated sugar
- Add the flour-yeast mixture and mix until smooth.
- Add the remaining sugar and flour.
- Knead for 10 minutes until a dough forms.
- Add softened butter in two additions, roughly incorporating it by hand.150 g butter
- Knead again for 10 minutes, until elastic.
- Add egg yolks in three stages, mixing thoroughly before each addition.100 g egg yolks
- Continue kneading until the dough is smooth and passes the gluten window test.
- Fold the dough, rest covered for 10 minutes, then fold again.
- Transfer to a container and proof at 30°C/ 86°F for ~3 hours, or until tripled in volume.
Second Dough
- Transfer the first dough back to the mixer.
- Add flour, sugar, salt, and water.300 g strong bread flour, 110 g granulated sugar, 1¼ tsp fine salt, 125 ml water
- Knead for 10 minutes until a strong gluten structure forms.
- Incorporate softened butter in stages.240 g butter
- Add the remaining egg yolks and knead again.110 g egg yolks
- Add orange paste, vanilla seeds, and orange blossom honey.
- Mix until fully incorporated and dough is glossy and strong.
- Optional: You may gently fold in candied orange peel or other canditi, though they are not used in the video.
Shaping & Proofing
- Divide the dough into 2 portions (~1040 g each).
- Rest covered for 40 minutes at 30°C/ 86°F.
- Divide each portion into two parts (wings + body).
- Shape and place in molds with the wings in a “U” shape and the body across.
- Cover and final proof at 30°C/ 86°F for ~3–4 hours, until the back of the dove reaches the rim of the mold.
Glaze and Topping
- Blend all glaze ingredients until smooth.43 g egg whites, ½ tsp powdered sugar, 85 g granulated sugar, 16 g sweet almonds, ½ tbsp bitter sicilian almonds, 12 g hazelnuts, ½ tsp cornstarch, ½ tsp potato starch, ½ tsp rice flour, 1 tbsp all-purpose flour , 1 tsp natural almond extract
- Adjust consistency as needed — it should be thick but spreadable.
- Top each Colomba with glaze, pearl sugar, and whole almonds just before baking.whole sweet almonds, pearl sugar
Baking the Colomba
- Bake one Colomba at a time.
- Bake at 170°C / 338°F static for 30 minutes, then reduce to 150°C / 300°F for 20 minutes.
- Use bottom heat only, place on the middle oven rack.
- Internal temperature should reach 95°C / 203°F.
- Immediately skewer the body diagonally, then flip upside down.Hang and cool for at least 4 hours, completely inverted, to prevent collapse.
