Colomba with Sourdough Starter

The Easter Dove is a traditional Italian dessert that symbolizes peace and the arrival of spring. The preparation with sourdough starter requires time and patience, but the result will certainly be rewarding. Here is the recipe for the Colomba with sourdough starter:

Ingredients

For the First Dough:

• 100 g of active refreshed sourdough starter
• 130 g of strong flour (high protein content)
• 70 ml of water
• 30 g of sugar

For the Second Dough:

• All of the first dough
• 120 g of strong flour
• 1 whole egg
• 2 yolks
• 60 g of sugar
• 100 g of soft butter
• Orange and/or vanilla flavor to taste

For the Third Dough:

• All of the second dough
• 120 g of strong flour
• 1 whole egg
• 1 yolk
• 80 g of sugar
• 50 g of soft butter
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• 100 g of candied fruit (orange and/or citron)
• 70 g of peeled almonds
• 1 pinch of salt

For the Topping:

• Whole almonds as needed
• Granulated sugar as needed
• Powdered sugar as needed

Preparation

First Dough:

1. Mix the sourdough starter with flour, sugar, and water until you get a homogeneous dough.
2. Let the dough rest in a covered container until it has doubled in volume (about 12-14 hours).

Second Dough:

1. Add to the first dough the flour, whole egg, yolks, and sugar, kneading until the mixture is smooth.
2. Incorporate the soft butter in pieces and the flavors, then let the dough rest until it has doubled in volume.

Third Dough:

1. Add the remaining ingredients to the second dough: egg, yolk, flour, sugar, pinch of salt, butter, orange zest, and candied fruits.
2. Work the dough until you get a smooth and elastic mass.
3. Do a final proof inside a dove-shaped mold until the volume has doubled.
4. Before baking, decorate the surface of the dove with whole almonds, granulated sugar, and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Baking:

Bake the dove in a preheated oven at 170 °C for about 40-50 minutes, taking care that the surface does not darken too much (you can cover it with aluminum foil if necessary).

Let it cool completely before serving.

Trivia

The shape of the Colomba with its spread wings has always been a symbol of peace and renewal, typical of the Easter holiday. According to a legend, this recipe was born in Lombardy when King Alboin, after the conquest of Pavia, received as a gift a dove made of bread symbolizing peace.

Remember that working with sourdough starter requires more proofing steps and that the timings might change based on the strength of the starter and the room temperature. Good luck and happy Easter!