COLOMBA DI PASQUA

COLOMBA DI PASQUA

Shaped like the dove of peace, the Easter Colomba cake is the ideal gift any time in Spring.

Different from the historic Panettone we sell, our Colomba is made of a lighter dough of flour, fresh eggs, butter, and natural yeast. It is studded with delightful pieces of lemon and orange candied peel and decorated with whole fresh almonds and icing sugar.

We love it, sliced for breakfast, drizzled with crème pâtisserie for a delightful dessert or as pain perdu, dipped in egg and lightly fried in butter for an exquisite brunch or guilty midnight feast.

After the restraints of lent what better way to celebrate the Easter Festivities. Perfect with a glass of chilled Moscato.

What is the story of the Colomba di Pasqua?

The history of Colomba can be traced back a millennium to the Lombard period, and its capital Milano.

When the Emperor Federick 1, Barbarossa, destroyed the city in 1154, and again in 1162, the city took its revenge and defeated him at Legnano in 1176. This was a victory for the Papacy and two doves, symbolizing the Holy Ghost alighted during the battle on the alter of the Carroccio.

To this day a mass is celebrated on this alter, over 1000 years later.

The Easter season and the Colomba cake in the shape of a dove was created to commemorate the victory and the cake is celebrated today across the globe.

No matter the history, the tradition could not have survived if the cake was not an exceptionally delicious luxurious treat.

Colomba Pain Perdu

6 slices Colomba, 2-3 cm thick, preferable old or left out to dry overnight
4 free range eggs
200ml whole milk
50ml single cream
50g sugar (to taste)
Seeds half vanilla pod
Pinch salt
Unsalted butter
Icing sugar and slices fresh orange to decorate

- Whisk the eggs and add the milk and cream.

- Whisk all together to create a batter.

- Add the vanilla and salt, taste and add more sugar if desired.

- Put the mixture into a shallow bowl and add the slices of Colomba and allow them to soak up the batter on both sides.

- Warm enough butter in a shallow frying pan.

- Once it foams, taking care it doesn’t brown, add slices of Colomba and cook until they are browned on the bottom.

- Turn and brown on other side, then set aside on a warm plate.

- Cook all the slices.

- Serve with icing sugar and slices of fresh orange with a glass of dessert wine such as Moscato, or for a real treat, the stunning Ben Rye Passito.