Colomba con la Crema al Rum (Colomba with Rum Cream)

If you have ever celebrated Easter in Italy, you may have tasted Colomba di Pasqua (Easter Dove). This is an Italian dessert available only at Easter, something between a cake and a sweet bread loaf. The distinctive feature of this cake is its dove shape, a symbol of peace and rebirth. In the Catholic tradition, it also represents the Holy Spirit.

The cake is very soft, and its ingredients are simple: flour, eggs, natural yeast, butter, sugar, and candied orange peel. The dough is shaped like a dove, then glazed with a shiny coating of sugar syrup, coarse sugar, and sprinkled with almonds before baking.

This is the traditional recipe, but nowadays many variations are available, such as chocolate-glazed versions, cream-filled ones, or even versions without candied fruit. Colomba is said to trace its origins back to the mid-6th century. According to legend, King Alboin conquered Pavia the day before Easter, and a dove-shaped cake was offered to him as a symbol of peace. A more realistic explanation is that, in the early 20th century, the Milanese company Motta began producing an Easter version of Panettone (the traditional Christmas cake). Both of them belong to my region: Lombardy!

You can enjoy Colomba with sparkling sweet wines such as Moscato d’Asti or with a sweet Passito wine from Sicily. Like Panettone, it can be served plain or with mascarpone cream flavored with various liqueurs. I love them topped with cream. It is rich but as we say in Italy: “Quando pecchi, pecca bene”! If you’re going to sin, do it properly!”

Enjoy it, and Happy Easter!
Buona Pasqua!

COLOMBA CON LA CREMA AL RUM (COLOMBA WITH RUM CREAM)

Total preparation time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

250 g (9 oz) fresh mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
110 ml (about ½ cup) heavy cream
6–7 tablespoons rum

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, mix the cream and rum
2. Place the mascarpone and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, whisk for a few seconds on low speed, or until the sugar dissolves. Then add the cream and rum mixture and gently mix with a spoon.
3. Serve the mascarpone cream either on top of a slice of Colomba or on the side.

Note: Colomba is a simple cake, but its preparation is labor-intensive because the rising process occurs in several stages, and room temperature is critical. Fortunately, many excellent brands are available on the market, and many pastry shops produce their own Colomba artigianale (artisan Colomba).

—Paola