Colomba Pasquale ("Easter Dove" in English) or Colomba di Pasqua is an Easter counterpart of the two well-known Italian Christmas desserts, panettone and pandoro.
The dough for the Colomba is made in a similar manner to panettone, with flour, eggs, sugar, natural yeast and butter; unlike panettone, it usually contains candied peel and no raisins. The dough is then fashioned into a dove shape (colomba in Italian) and finally is topped with pearl sugar and almonds before being baked.Some manufacturers produce other versions including a popular bread topped with Chocolate.[1]
The Colomba di Pasqua was commercialised by the Milanese baker and businessman Angelo Motta as an Easter version of the Christmas speciality panettone that Motta foods were producing.[2]