Traditional Colomba

Colomba Tradizionale by La Perla di Torino for Easter

Colomba Tradizionale by La Perla di Torino is the Italian Easter cake in the shape of a dove, baked from a soft yeast dough with sultanas and candied orange and lemon peel. The natural mother yeast allows it to rise over several days, which makes the crumb fine and long-lasting.

Colomba Tradizionale is the Easter pastry from La Perla di Torino in Piedmont, weighing 500 grams and baked in a paper mold that gives it its shape. Colomba means dove, and that is exactly what comes out of the oven: two flat wings on a round body.

Buttery crumb with sultanas and candied peel

The crumb glows yellow from fresh egg yolks, pulls into long threads when torn, and smells of butter and orange.

The sultanas are densely packed in the dough, providing a dark, almost honey-like sweetness. In contrast, the candied orange and lemon peel add a bright, slightly bitter edge. When it comes to citrus fruits, it is the peel that is candied, not the flesh, as that is where the essential oils reside. It is precisely this edge that distinguishes a festive pastry from a sweet braided yeast bread, and it ensures that even the third piece remains exciting.

La Perla di Torino uses butter, fresh egg yolks, and pasteurized whole milk. This makes the dough both heavy and soft at the same time, which is why it requires moderate heat in the oven.

Why the wings taste different from the center

The flat wings receive more heat in the oven than the high body in the center.

On the outside, therefore, are the thinner pieces with a robust crust and a fine toasted note, while the high, cotton-soft crumb waits in the middle. Whoever serves it at the table has two different things to offer, and experience shows that everyone at the Easter table has a firm opinion on this.

The dough rises one last time in its paper mold and keeps it until it is cut. A Colomba is never turned out after baking; its crumb is far too delicate for that. The corrugated baking paper supports the soft mass on the sides and gives it the stability it would not have on its own.

An Easter pastry that stays soft for days

The natural mother yeast in the dough takes days instead of hours, which is the secret behind its long-lasting freshness.

It is repeatedly fed with flour and water until it is strong enough to leaven such a heavy butter dough. The longer the fermentation process takes, the finer the crumb and the longer it remains moist, which is what this pastry has always been designed for.

In the La Perla di Torino bakery, the process begins anew every spring. It starts long before Easter arrives on the calendar, because the yeast cannot be rushed.

Warm with an espresso on Easter Sunday

Warm up your slice briefly; this softens the butter in the dough and lets the aroma rise once more.

Classically, it is served with an espresso, or on a long holiday, a bowl of mascarpone for dipping. Anything left over can be sliced and placed briefly in a pan the next morning. The sugar on the edges will caramelize, turning the leftovers into a second breakfast.

Stored in a cool, dry place, the sealed package will keep for weeks. The smaller size is available as Mini Colomba, more seasonal goods can be found in the Easter selection, and what else La Perla di Torino sends is shown in the house assortment.