A typical Festive Easter Cake eaten all over Italy is the Colomba. The Colomba represents the Dove of Peace. To make it, follow this simple recipe:
Ingredients:
225 g plain flour
90 g raisins
90 g castor sugar
40g softened butter
50 g crushed sugar cubes
2 eggs
40 g almond meal
1 egg separated
30 g almond flakes
2 tsp yeast
For
the start mix:
1 tsp vanilla 110 g plain flour rind of 1
orange ½ tsp yeast
Method:
1. To make the starter, mix
ingredients and 90 mls water in bowl until smooth and leave stand 12
hours.
2. Transfer the mix to an electric blender with dough attachment; add flour, 60 g castor sugar, butter, 2 eggs, yolk, yeast, vanilla and orange rind. Mix at medium speed until dough is smooth and starts to leave the sides of the bowl (approx. 15 mins). Mix in fruit. Cover and let stand until mixture doubles in volume (1-2 hrs ). 3. Preheat oven to 190C. knock down dough and place in tin, not quite touching sides. Allow to stand and rise – 40 minutes.
4. Combine crushed sugar, almond meal, almonds, remaining raw sugar and egg white. Scatter over dough and bake for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 160 and
