Easter doves shape large, 5 pieces

Many people associate the Easter dove with panettone. This is no coincidence, as the basic mixture of the two seasonal pastries is identical. What distinguishes the two pastries are, on the one hand, the ingredients and, of course, the shape. Raisins are traditionally added to the round panettone, while the dove-shaped Easter dove is decorated with candied orange peel or candied lemon peel. Another characteristic feature of the Easter dove is the contrast between the soft dough and the typical crispy glaze. This is decorated with sugar crystals, almonds and an olive tree branch and symbolizes, above all, the reference to peace.

Here's how to make the traditional Italian pastry (recipe for a 500 g Easter dove):

Ingredients for the dough:

270 g Manitoba flour / 72 g whole eggs / 10 g egg yolks / 84 g butter / 84 g sugar / 24 g milk / 12 g brewer's yeast / vanilla flavoring / 1.5 pinch of salt

Pre-dough:

Sieve 24 g of flour into a bowl, crumble in the yeast and mix with 1.5 tablespoons of sugar and 24 g of lukewarm milk to make a pre-dough. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.

First step: Add 60 g flour and 78 g lukewarm water to the starter dough, knead into a smooth dough, cover and leave to rise for a further 40 minutes.

Second step: After rising, add 12 g sugar, 60 g flour, 24 g melted and cold butter, knead well and leave to rise covered for 60 minutes.

Third step: Add the remaining ingredients, sugar, flour, eggs, flavoring, salt and butter at room temperature, knead into a smooth dough, cover and leave to rise for 2 hours. Then knead well again and place in a colomba mold (500g). Fill the tin 3/4 full so that the dough does not swell over the edge of the tin when baking and rising in the oven. Before the dough goes into the oven, leave it to rise in the Easter dove baking tin for another 30-40 minutes until it has doubled in volume. Then bake the dough at 160° C for 40-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool upside down on a special cooling rack. If you wish, you can decorate the dough with candied fruit, candied orange peel, candied lemon peel or chocolate.