Colomba Pasquale (Easter Dove Bread)

While Italy offers many traditional Easter breads, the best-known by far is Colomba Pasquale, Easter dove bread, a native of Lombardy in the north, but available everywhere when Easter rolls around. Even in America one can find these panettone-like breads in their paper "dove" pans around the Easter holidays.

Though Easter Dove Bread is usually baked in a special pan, we prefer, for simplicity's (though not tradition's) sake, to simply bake it in a loaf shape. Studded with citrus peel or the dried fruits of your choice, sprinkled with almonds, and gilded with a shiny coat of sugar syrup and coarse sugar, this is wonderful fresh, and makes delicious toast. (Be careful of sugar melting into your upright toaster, however; either be prepared for a bit of burnt sugar smell, or toast the dove bread in a toaster oven.)

The dough for this bread is quite sticky, and it's easiest mixed and kneaded in a machine of some sort. Also, we like to save time by putting the ingredients in our stand mixer, setting a timer, then walking away; just be sure your mixer is firmly in place on the counter, and won't "walk" off.

With its fairly high sugar and fat content, the dough is slow to come together, and equally slow to rise. Have patience, and plan on extra time for rising if your house is cool. This is a perfect place to use either SAF Gold or Fermipan Brown instant yeast, both of which are designed specifically for high-sugar yeast breads. You'll save at least an hour during each rise by using these yeasts.

One final caveat: Keep the dough warm and moist while it's rising. We sometimes make a "proof box" by placing a baking sheet or 9 x 13-inch pan on top of the stove (we have a gas stove with a pilot light), adding some hot water, then placing the rising bowl or loaf pans into the water-filled pan. Cover the whole thing with a proof cover or some other large cover. Put a thermometer into the water, and replace with hot water when the temperature drops below 80°F. Another simpler way to keep dough warm is to simply cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and set it in an unlit gas oven; the pilot light will keep it warm. If you have an electric oven, turn it to warm for about 1 minute, turn it off, then place the plastic-covered bowl in the oven. "Reheat" on warm occasionally; you want the temperature to remain at about 80°F to 85°F, more or less.
Sponge
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (SAF Gold or Fermipan Brown, if possible)
3/4 cup (3 1/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3 tablespoons (1 3/8 ounces) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (4 ounces) water

Dough
3 large eggs (one separated, white reserved; the others left whole)
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) sugar
1/8 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia OR 1/8 teaspoon lemon or orange oil + 2 teaspoons vanilla extract OR 1 teaspoon grated lemon or orange rind + 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups (10 3/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (2 ounces, 1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon granular lecithin (optional)
2 tablespoons (1/4 ounce) orange zest (grated orange rind)
1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) candied citron (or dried fruit of your choice*)
1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) candied orange peel (or dried fruit of your choice*)

Topping
1 egg white
1/3 cup (1 1/4 ounces) almond flour (or finely ground almonds, blanched or unblanched)
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons coarse sugar (pearl sugar or sparkling white sugar)
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
*Frankly, although citron and candied citrus peel are the traditional fruits in this bread, we're more partial to golden raisins or sultanas, and a combination of dried cranberries, cherries, and apricots.

Sponge: In the bowl of an electric mixer, or the bucket of your bread machine, mix the sponge ingredients together, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Mixer Method: Beat the 2 eggs and the egg yolk into the sponge; the mixture will be soft and batter-like.

Add the sugar, flavoring, flour, salt, butter and lecithin, if you're using it. Beat well, using the paddle attachment. Change to the dough hook after the mixture becomes cohesive, and continue to beat for 10 to 12 minutes, until the batter is shiny and smooth; it probably won't completely clear the sides of the bowl. Add the orange zest and candied peel (or dried fruit) and mix until combined.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm spot (85°F is perfect) to let the dough rise for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. It should be doubled in bulk and full of bubbles.

Bread Machine Method: Place all of the dough ingredients, except the fruit, atop the risen sponge in the bucket of your bread machine. Program the machine for manual or dough, and press Start. Check the dough after about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bucket if necessary to make sure all of the flour is incorporated. Add the fruits with about 5 minutes left in the kneading cycle, then allow the machine to complete its dough cycle.

Shaping a Dove: Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased or floured work surface. Gently deflate it by folding it over a few times. Divide the dough in half, and form one half into a log about 10 inches long. Form the other half into a slightly shorter and fatter log. Place the longest log lengthwise on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, then lay the shorter log across it, forming a cross. Shape the shorter log into "wings" by pulling it into a crescent shape. (We know, this doesn't really look too awfully much like a dove; think of it as a symbolic representation!) Cover the shaped loaf with a proof cover or lightly greased plastic wrap, and set it aside to double in bulk; this will take about 2 hours.

Shaping Pan Loaves: Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased or floured work surface. Gently deflate it by folding it over a few times. Divide the dough in half, and form each half into a 7-inch "log." Place each log into a lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan. Cover the pans and allow the loaves to rise in a warm place for 2 hours, or until each has just crested over the rim of the pan.

Just before the bread is ready to go into the oven, beat the egg white until it's foamy and thick; it should look like soft meringue. Whisk in the ground almonds and sugar.

Spread the risen loaf or loaves with the meringue topping. Use a light hand, as the dough is delicate and could deflate if handled roughly. Sprinkle with the coarse sugar and sliced almonds.

Bake the loaf or loaves in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 8 to 12 minutes, until lightly browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a loaf reads 195°F. Remove the bread from the oven, and transfer it to a wire rack to cool; if you've used loaf pans, allow it to rest in the pans for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of each pan to free the loaves. Turn them out onto a rack to cool. Yield: 1 dove, or two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch pan loaves, about 24 servings.