Colomba pasquale (bread!)

There are some sweets that just did not go my fancy; the typical dove belongs to that category (like panettone, after all).

But I still wanted to propose a dove for the Easter days and I settled with a shameless ploy...

I have used, with a few small changes, the same dough that I use to braid butter (the classic Butterzopf) Making it slightly sweet and aromatic. 

I basically doubled the amount of sugar in the dough also enriching it with the zest of a lemon.

A decoration of almonds and grains of sugar has completed everything.

The result, apparently, was much appreciated:
It has not advanced a slice that was one!

And now, starting as always from the ingredients, let's start cooking!

Ingredients:

Preparation:

Mix in a bowl the milk, butter, yeast and half the sugar and let stand until it makes bubbles (usually just about ten minutes).

Mix (possibly with the mixer) the mixture of well-sifted flour with the remaining sugar and the dissolved yeast.

Then add the remaining ingredients, including salt.

Stir for about ten minutes until dough is smooth.

Pour it on the counter and knead by stretching don his hands for a few minutes.

Place it in a closed container (or use a leavening bowl) and let it grow in a sheltered place (maybe the inside of the oven, off) for an hour, two better.

Meanwhile, buttering a metal mold for doves and keep it cool.

After the leavening, the dough work up to obtain a long and slender roll which will be carried out in the mold: it is the most convenient way to distribute well without damning too!

Garnish with almonds dough, cover and let rise for another hour in a sheltered place (not in the oven because it will soon warmed ...).

While the dough is rising, preheat the oven (static) to 180 ° C.

After the second period of rising, brush the dove with the egg yolk eventually diluted with a drizzle of milk, cover with sugar grains and bake, in the oven preheated to 180 ° C for about an hour (as I always say, and I'm not tired of repeating it, every oven has the its history, temperatures and times are always to be verified!).

 When cooked, tapping the braid, will give a sound like emptiness.

Otherwise, lower the temperature and cook a few minutes more to wipe out the last traces of moisture.

Allow to cool about ten minutes, then carefully transfer the dove from the mold to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Buon appetito!

ADVICES AND NOTES:

• Recipe, text only: to print or download.
• This dove it is also great the next day. When stored in a paper bag (which always leftovers ...) it is also excellent in the two or three days following.
• Related articles: Butterzopf - Braid butter