La Colomba Recipe
Ingredients
1/2 cake compressed yeast or 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 tablespoons lukewarm water
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 egg yolks
5 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
ALMOND PASTE TOPPING (OPTIONAL)
1/3 cup almond paste
2 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup shredded blanched almonds
Directions
In a small bowl mix the yeast with the 3 tablespoons warm water and the brown sugar.
Leave for 10 minutes until frothy.
Bring the milk to the boil, remove from the heat and add the butter or margarine, sugar, lemon rind and vanilla extract.
Stir well to melt the butter and then leave to cool to lukewarm.
When the butter mixture has cooled, stir in the yeast liquid and the 6 egg yolks and beat well.
Gradually beat in three-quarters of the flour and the salt, or enough flour to make a soft dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the remaining flour.
Knead for about 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and satiny.
Form the dough into a ball, put it into a greased plastic bag and let rise in a warm place for about I 1/2 hours or until it has doubled in size.
Punch down the risen dough on a floured surface, knead until smooth and then divide it into 2 pieces.
Roll out half the dough into an oval about 5 inches by 11 inches and lay across the width of a buttered 13x 15-inch baking sheet.
Roll out the remaining dough to a triangle 5 inches wide at the base and 12 inches long.
Arrange this triangle over the oval to form a cross.
Hold the triangle at the center and twist it once, to form the body of a dove.
Pinch the dough about 3inchesibelow the top of the triangle to form the dove's neck and head.
Elongate the tip to form the beak.
With the blunt edge of a knife score the tail and wings to simulate feathers.
If liked, make an almond paste topping by creaming together the almond paste with one of the egg whites and 3 tablespoons sugar then spread it thickly over the wings and tail of the dove.
Leave the dough to rise in a warm place to increase its bulk a little -do not over-rise at this stage or it will lose its shape during baking.
Brush the surface of the dove with the remaining egg white, lightly beaten, and sprinkle the wings with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and the almonds, if liked.
Bake the bread in a moderate oven (325°F) for 40-50 minutes or until it is browned.
Transfer the bread carefully to cake racks and leave to cool.
Serve the bread warm.
Leave for 10 minutes until frothy.
Bring the milk to the boil, remove from the heat and add the butter or margarine, sugar, lemon rind and vanilla extract.
Stir well to melt the butter and then leave to cool to lukewarm.
When the butter mixture has cooled, stir in the yeast liquid and the 6 egg yolks and beat well.
Gradually beat in three-quarters of the flour and the salt, or enough flour to make a soft dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the remaining flour.
Knead for about 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and satiny.
Form the dough into a ball, put it into a greased plastic bag and let rise in a warm place for about I 1/2 hours or until it has doubled in size.
Punch down the risen dough on a floured surface, knead until smooth and then divide it into 2 pieces.
Roll out half the dough into an oval about 5 inches by 11 inches and lay across the width of a buttered 13x 15-inch baking sheet.
Roll out the remaining dough to a triangle 5 inches wide at the base and 12 inches long.
Arrange this triangle over the oval to form a cross.
Hold the triangle at the center and twist it once, to form the body of a dove.
Pinch the dough about 3inchesibelow the top of the triangle to form the dove's neck and head.
Elongate the tip to form the beak.
With the blunt edge of a knife score the tail and wings to simulate feathers.
If liked, make an almond paste topping by creaming together the almond paste with one of the egg whites and 3 tablespoons sugar then spread it thickly over the wings and tail of the dove.
Leave the dough to rise in a warm place to increase its bulk a little -do not over-rise at this stage or it will lose its shape during baking.
Brush the surface of the dove with the remaining egg white, lightly beaten, and sprinkle the wings with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and the almonds, if liked.
Bake the bread in a moderate oven (325°F) for 40-50 minutes or until it is browned.
Transfer the bread carefully to cake racks and leave to cool.
Serve the bread warm.
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