The Easter Colomba is one of the cornerstones of Italian pastry tradition: a yeasted cake that requires technique, patience and quality ingredients. Making it at home means paying attention to the choice of flours, the balance of sugars and fats, and the timing of the leavening—essential to achieve a soft, elastic and aromatic dough. This is my simple version made with baker’s yeast, enriched with apricots and raisins, finished with an almond glaze and sugar nibs. Perfect to bring to the table at Easter and to share with friends and family. Below, let’s see together how to prepare this delicious Easter Colomba with apricots and raisins at home:
- Rest time: 5 Hours
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Cooking time: 50 Minutes
- Portions: for 1 Colomba (about 2.2 lb)
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (about 100 g) cup Manitoba flour
- 1/3 cup (about 80 ml) cup water
- 4 tsp (about 12 g) tsp fresh baker's yeast
- 1 tsp tsp honey
- the pre-dough
- 2 1/3 cups (about 280 g) cup Manitoba flour
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (about 180 g) cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (about 80 ml) cup water
- egg yolks egg yolks (about 5 medium yolks)
- 10 tbsp (about 5 oz / 140 g) — about 5/8 cup tbsp butter, softened
- 1 oz (about 25 g) oz aromatic mix for Colomba
- 1/2 tsp (about 3 g) tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (about 3 oz / 80 g) cup dried apricots, chopped
- 1/3 cup (about 2 oz / 50 g) cup raisins
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp (about 25 g) tbsp honey
- 1/3 cup (about 2 oz / 50 g) cup candied orange peel, chopped
- 1 bean vanilla bean
- the grated zest of one orange
- 1/3 cup (about 2 oz / 55 g) cup whole (unpeeled) almonds
- egg whites egg white
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp (about 120 g) cup granulated sugar
- tbsp rice starch (amido di riso)
- 1 tbsp + 2 tsp (about 20 g) tbsp sugar nibs (granella di zucchero)
- 2 tbsp (about 20 g) tbsp whole (unpeeled) almonds
- 2 tbsp + 1 tsp (about 20 g) tbsp powdered sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp (about 8 g) tsp rice starch (amido di riso)
Steps
Start by preparing the pre-dough: dissolve the fresh baker’s yeast in lukewarm water with a teaspoon of honey. Add the Manitoba flour and mix gently until you obtain a thick, smooth batter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm corner of the kitchen for one hour.
Prepare the aromatic mix by combining the honey with finely chopped candied orange peel, the seeds scraped from the vanilla bean and the grated orange zest. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Pour the pre-dough into a large bowl, add the flour, granulated sugar, water and egg yolks. Knead slowly until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous dough. Add the softened butter little by little, fully incorporating it and working the dough until it becomes elastic and glossy.
Add the aromatic mix and the salt, then gently fold in the chopped apricots and the raisins, being careful not to deflate the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 4–5 hours in a warm place, until doubled in volume.
Divide the dough into two parts: the larger portion to form the body of the Colomba and the smaller portion to form the wings. Place into a 1 kg Colomba mold (or two 500 g molds) and let rise until nearly reaching the rim.
Prepare the glaze by blitzing the whole (unpeeled) almonds with the sugar, then add the rice starch and the egg white and mix until you obtain a smooth, glossy and slightly thick cream. Chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours before use.
Spread the glaze over the surface of the Colomba, add the sugar nibs, the whole unpeeled almonds and finish with a dusting of powdered sugar mixed with the rice starch.
Preheat the oven to 338°F and bake for 45–50 minutes, watching the browning. Cover with aluminum foil if necessary during the last minutes.
Once out of the oven, pierce the Colomba with skewers and let it cool upside down for at least 6 hours.
The Easter Colomba with apricots and raisins is now ready to be enjoyed!
Bon appétit and.. see you in the next recipe!
If you try this recipe, make sure to tag #ipasticcinidinina on Instagram so I can see it and share it with the community.
