Sweet Doves are soft Easter tradition treats, prepared without a mold. They are made with leavened dough based on flour, eggs, butter, and flavors such as lemon zest and vanilla. They are glazed and decorated with sugar sprinkles; you can also add almonds if you prefer. If you are looking for the bigger version, I recommend the chocolate dove or for original versions, I suggest the Danubio Nutella dove, soft as a cloud. Doves are symbols of peace and rebirth, often gifted during the Easter holidays. If you enjoyed the recipe, hurry to prepare it and don’t forget to follow me on my social pages Facebook and Instagram
Here are more delicious recipes you can make for Easter
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 10 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Easter
- Energy 338.70 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 59.55 (g) of which sugars 21.78 (g)
- Proteins 7.07 (g)
- Fat 8.91 (g) of which saturated 5.43 (g)of which unsaturated 2.96 (g)
- Fibers 1.28 (g)
- Sodium 2.64 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 110 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for 10 doves
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups Manitoba flour
- 1 tbsp dry yeast
- 1/2 cup sugar
- to taste vanilla extract
- 7 tbsps butter
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- to taste water
- 1/3 cup sugar
- to taste sugar sprinkles
- to taste powdered sugar
How to make sweet doves
In the stand mixer, place the flour, yeast, sugar, grated lemon zest, and vanilla extract.
Now, turn on the mixer and add the eggs, water, and finally the softened butter cut into pieces. Mix everything well.
Transfer everything to the work surface and form a smooth, soft ball. Let it rest in a bowl covered with plastic wrap for about 2-3 hours. It should double in volume.
After the resting time has passed, divide into balls, about 3 1/2 oz each, and form small sausages.
Shape the body and wings of the dove with the two sausages and let rest for 30 minutes.
Prepare the glaze by mixing flour and hot water, then brush all the doves, then garnish with sugar sprinkles.
Add the powdered sugar and bake at 375°F for about 10 minutes or until golden.
Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
Storage and tips for sweet doves
They can be stored under a cake dome for up to two days. For a perfect result, you can prepare them the same morning and maybe get ahead with the glaze. They can also be frozen.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I replace the butter with oil in the doves?
Yes, of course! You can use vegetable oil instead of butter. In this recipe, you can use 1/3 cup of peanut or sunflower seed oil. However, keep in mind that this might affect the texture. Peanut oil has a neutral flavor compared to butter which gives a rich and structured taste.
Can you make cocoa doves?
You can make them with cocoa by replacing 1 oz of all-purpose flour with 1 oz of unsweetened cocoa powder.
Video recipe
