Colombe and Panettone are leavened pastries, both traditional of the region of Lombardy. Panettone was born in the 1600s as a Christmas cake and then spread to the rest of Italy. The Colomba, the Easter symbol, began to establish itself in 1900. Both share the same ingredients: flour, sugar, eggs, butter and yeast in the dough combined with many hours of leavening. In the panettone there are raisins and candied fruit, whereas in the colomba only candied fruit which, for the most part, is obtained from orange peel coated with sugar, egg white and almonds (sometimes with the addition of sugar granules). This Easter we have rounded up our favourite colombe from the best pastry shops across Italy:
1
Le Levain,
Roma, Lazio
When it comes to pastries, Rome is playing catch up with the North and South of Italy, as in central Italy there is not really a historical ‘patisserie’ culture. However with tourism, things have changed. Le Levain was opened by Giuseppe Solfrizzi, a pastry chef who has worked closely with Alain Ducasse, Massimo Spigaroli and in various important pastry shops in Barcelona and Lyon. His spot in Trastevere has become the ultimate address known to gourmands and this easter Chef has taken creativity to a whole new level. The Colomba is garnished with candied orange, vanilla and an almond frosting. There are also two special Easter eggs: white chocolate with Madagascan vanilla, pistachio praline and pistachios and a dark chocolate with popcorn praline, salted caramel and popcorn. Worth a kilo or two. WEBSITE
2
Pasticceria Vignola,
Avellino, campania
Raffaele Vignola is a son of art. He was still a child when he began to knead for fun in his family’s pastry shop, in via Maffei, in the center of the town. Almost thirty years later and he continues with the same dedication, following his father’s teachings and baking new products whilst respecting the quality and traditional flavours. In fact in 2021 Chef Vignola’s Colomba won the title of the ‘best artisan colomba in Italy’ by Gambero Rosso. This year, he proposes various flavours from a sweet selection of pear, chocolate and nuts or apple and cinnamon to a savoury bake of pancetta, capocollo, stesa, sopressata and caciocavallo. WEBSITE
3
Pasticceria Clivati,
Milano, lombardia
Pasticceria Clivati, led by pastry chef and Master Chocolatier Luca Daniele prepares for Easter with a wide selection of sweet and savoury products and a new line of fine milk or dark chocolate eggs, which this year presents decorations with a fairytale theme and made in pastel shades of blue, green, pink and yellow. Alongside the eggs, pastry chef brings to the table the traditional Colomba in seven different sizes (up to 3kg!) and the traditional Neapolitan Pastiera. WEBSITE
4
pasticceria veneto, brescia, lombardia
Renowned and appreciated worldwide, Iginio Massari was trained in Switzerland alongside the Master Pastry Chef Claude Gerber. After a stint as a consultant for the food industries, he opened his own ‘Pasticceria Veneta’ in 1971. He has won over 300 national and international competitions, prizes and awards and is considered the greatest Italian pastry chef in the world. This Easter, Pasty Chef Massari has revisited, as per usual, the traditional Colomba, adding a higher quantity of Madagascan Bourbon Vanilla coupled with candied orange peel and an amaretto glaze on top. A balance between tradition and innovation. WEBSITE
5
Olivieri 1882,
Arzignano, veneto
Nicola Olivieri is the owner and Pastry Chef of the Olivieri 1882 family business in Arzignano (VI), a company that has been active for almost 140 years and is now multi-award-winning for the production of excellent leavened products: from pastries to pizza, bread and of course the festivity classics (panettone/colomba). His experience began in the family workshop, then after completing his studies, he decided to move abroad until in 2012 he officially took over Olivieri 1882. This easter you cannot beat a classic colomba with flavours enhanced by high quality ingredients from Tahitian Bourbon vanilla bean to centrifuged Belgian butter and Italian acacia honey crowned with an almond, hazelnut, pine nut, and pearl sugar glaze. Other proposals include triple chocolate, apricot salted caramel, tangerine and cardamom. WEBSITE
6
Martesana,
Milano, lombardia
An artisan pastry shop founded in 1966 by Vincenzo Santoro, sided by Executive Pastry Chef Domenico Di Clemente who brought his experience in research and technical innovation. Alongside the sweet production, Martesana is known for its savoury dishes; in 2018 it won the Gambero Rosso award for Best Savoury Pastry in Italy. Martesana has finally revealed their Easter offering and it is exquisite. Colomba with red fruits with chocolate chips, raspberry and crystalline sugar. Of course there will be Easter Eggs, such as Enzo’s Egg with Salted Caramel and a new ‘Animal Collection’ of milk and white chocolate for the little ones. Finally the renowned pastiera, in two forms: classic Neapolitan and a Milanese version with Carnaroli rice Also, if you’re in Milano, pop into the new Pasticceria Martesana in Corso di Porta Romana 131. WEBSITE
7
Gruè,
Roma, Lazio
Marta Boccanera and Felice Venanzi are two young entrepreneurs and two good pastry chefs. They interrupted their university studies to dedicate themselves to this sector with passion and intelligence. Their patisserie is modern, the organisation is perfect and their products are excellent. This easter they have worked on a few sweet proposals from the Classic Colomba to a Spring Colomba that features semi-candied wild strawberries, candied lemons and dark chocolate drops. There is a dark chocolate colomba AND for those really looking to indulge this eater, the Caracioc, made with a caramel base, sprinkled with chocolate drops and, of course, the beloved salted caramel. Alongside the Colombe there are exquisite (and very artistic) Easter Eggs, Pastiera and, another Partenope tradition: the Casatiello. WEBSITE
8
Pasticceria D’Antoni,
roma, lazio
In 1974 Luigi and Otello d’Antoni founded their artisan pastry shop in 1974. Since then, the pastry shop has become renowned for the combination of creativity and quality of ingredients. parents have always believed. This Easter, the stars of d’Antoni will be the Easter eggs with s surprise; both ideated for little ones and adults. The first collection is themed Marvel and Walt Disney, and will be both dark and milk & white chocolate, and the second will be themed Pokemon, with a Pokeball surprise. There will also be gourmet eggs, offered both with pistachio cremino, hazelnut or passion fruit chocolate. As for the colomba, expect four flavours: classic, Pistachio, Chocolate and ‘Pop’, made with Pecans and candied apricots topped with a white chocolate glaze and coconut. Who’s looking forward to Easter now? WEBSITE
9
Panetteria di Cunsolo Matteo, prabiago, lombardia
Matteo Cunsolo graduated in 1997 in bakery and pastry in Milan. He gained experience working in some Lombard pastry shops. In 2003, he took over a bakery in the center of Parabiago (Milan) which later became La Panetteria di Cunsolo Matteo. Professional ethics, passion and technical skills lead him in 2008 to join the prestigious Club Richemont (Renowned for the professional excellence of its members, the club was born in Italy in 1996 to develop the culture of Italian bakery and pastry and bring it at levels of international excellence). This Easter, Matteo Cunsolo proposes the traditional Colomba, made with a process that involves hours and hours of fermentation. Furthermore, there will also be a Four Chocolate Colomba, White Chocolate and Pistachio and Chocolate and Rum. Who’s hungry? WEBSITE
10
Tiri 1957,
acerenza, basilicata
In Acerenza, a small town in southern Italy, one can say that Vincenzo Tiri inaugurated the first Italian pastry shop dedicated entirely to leavened products, in all its forms: from single-portion panettone to chocolates with puffed panettone, to Italian-style croissants, biscuits and panettone ice cream. Vincenzo Tiri is the third generation of a family that has always given attention and importance to leavened products. A family history that combines tradition and innovation that consequently ensured their Panettone and Colomba became winners of the best titles in Italy. This Easter, Tiri 1957 offers a wide range of exquisite Easter traditional bakes but in particular Vincenzo Tiri proposes the Pastierettone: the soft and airy consistency of the dough of the most awarded Panettone in Italy acquires the creaminess of the famous Pastiera thanks to the fresh ricotta and the scented orange blossom water. On the Easter Egg front there’s the Ovettone, the first chocolate egg filled with Panettone. Of course there’s the traditional Colomba, whose recipe won the title of “the best Colomba in Italy by Gambero Rosso in 2017” as well as the novelty Colomba with Amarena, Lemon and Marzipan. WEBSITE
11
PASTICCERIA DOLCEMASCOLO, FROSINONE, LAZIO
Over the years, the Dolcemascolo Pastry Shop in Frosinone (Lazio) has achieved an honourable mention in Alta Pasticceria e Nei Grandi Lievitati (High Pastry and Great Leavened Products) in Italy, always preserving the artisan techniques handed down through the three generations of pastry chefs in the family whilst developing innovative proposals. The Nuova Colomba Dolcemascolo is a soft leavened product that has three days of processing, made without additives or preserved. A high and well developed paste with a light brown color and a crisp, homogeneous crust. A strong scent of candied orange, Sicilian almonds, butter and Bourbon vanilla. Soft crumb, crunchy crust with a balanced taste that mixes with the sweet flavour of natural vanilla and candied orange. New this year are the pure chocolate eggs made with a beautiful marbling technique that creates colourful, tasty treats. WEBSITE
12
Sal de Riso,
Costiera di Amalfi, Campania
Salvatore De Riso started as a child helping his father in what used to be their small family pastry shop. Today this pastry shop in Minori is a must for anyone on the Amalfi Coast: a large, ultra-modern laboratory. Cakes, sweets, ice creams, panettone and colombe, to be enjoyed seated on the tables facing the sea. His pastries arrive in many countries of the world and his fame is international. WEBSITE
13
Pasticceria Agricola Cilentana,
Piaggine, campania
Piaggine is a small village in the Upper Cilento, and getting there is not easy. But it’s worth it to discover Pietro Macellaro, the third generation in the family pastry shop. Notable individual who searches products such as wild violets or mountain oregano in the pristine countryside that surrounds him. In addition to the pastry shop, he has a Masseria for hospitality where he also gives pastry courses and tastings. Pietro Macellaro as well as in Cilento, is present in New York – where he has opened a sales corner – and in Hong Kong where he has a consolidated collaboration with Umberto Bombana. Furthermore, for six years running, Chef Pietro Macellaro has been awarded a gold medal for the International Chocolate Awards so his collection of easter eggs are a ‘must’. As well as his creative collection of chocolate eggs, this easter, the Colomba proposal is unique. Alongside the traditional formula, there is a Chocolate and Fig flavour, Lemon and Aubergine and Apricot. Talk about original. WEBSITE
14
Solbiati Cioccolato, Milano, Lombardia
Simona Solbiati has always had a passion for chocolate, the kind of passion that pushed her into opening her artisanal bakery. From pralines to chocolate bars created with an artistic flair. This Easter, Solbiati has created a variety of Easter Eggs entirely unique with hours ad hours of work behind each and every one. From the ‘Egg inside the Egg’ that blends dark chocolate with milk chocolate to small chocolate sculptures inspired by farm animals. The art may be good but wait until you taste it. WEBSITE