Chefs unleash their creativity for this 2024 Easter: while the Colomba continues to soar in its classic form, variations on the theme are also playfully introduced, often invoking the egg.
Massimiliano Alajmo
Massimiliano Alajmo's leavened products also deserve three stars, sincerely attuned to the festivities. La Calandra, the classic Colomba of the house with candied orange and citron, costs 42 euros for 750 g; but there's also the chocolate and candied orange egg Colomba, coated in cocoa glaze with whole hazelnuts, and the one with Marsala, raisins, and coffee (priced at 45 and 42 euros respectively), for a playful blend between the two specialties. They are available for purchase online and at group retail outlets.
Antonino Cannavacciuolo
Antonino Cannavacciuolo and his pastry chef Kabir Godi's leavened products have always stood out for their generous eclecticism. This year, the range includes the limoncello Colomba, with lemon essential oil, liqueur cream, white chocolate glaze, and candied fruits, and the one with Campania's apple, filled with vanilla cream and coated in white chocolate with crunchy pearls. For a celebration of Neapolitan spirit. But there's also the classic flavor, hazelnut cream, chocolate and orange, and the brand-new red fruit Colomba. Purchase is available at shop.antoninocannavacciuolo.it for a price ranging from 39 to 49 euros.
Famiglia Cerea
The Colomba from the Cerea’s family is a must-have, and they take their leavened products seriously. "But every year the recipes are perfected," they assure. There are three flavors: classic with amaretto liqueur, chocolate, and orange scent with vanilla pearls (which is very popular). The cost remains 50 euros available on davittoriogift.com website, but they can also be purchased as part of complete Easter packages with wine and delicatessen items.
Arianna Gatti
Forme in Brescia, Arianna Gatti's restaurant, has recently turned one year old, a protégé of Philippe Leveillé. "I started at Christmas with panettone, so this is my second time. But even at Miramonti, we packaged leavened goods. I offer a traditional Colomba with candied fruits and a creative one with caramel chocolate and semi-candied apricot, my favorite. I prepare them in collaboration with Marco Mostarda, who is part of ANPI giovani. And I already see them being successful. We want to focus on desserts: the venue is very spacious, with a gourmet area, event rooms, and a bistro, but within a couple of years, we want to open a pastry shop, which is where I started my journey at Miramonti." The 1-kilo size costs 40 euros, available for purchase at the restaurant or on wwww.formerestaurant.it website. Shipping is available throughout Italy.
Paolo Griffa
Paolo Griffa at Caffè Nazionale in Aosta celebrates Easter with two-flavored travel cakes: one very Piedmontese, with hazelnuts but no flour, hazelnut cream, milk, and dark chocolate; the other a matcha tea and bergamot cake, with almond cream and pistachio. Bunny cake because the shape is an egg, with a rabbit drawn on top. They can be purchased online at paologriffa.com for 35 euros. Then there are the chocolate-scented eggs, in collaboration with Hilde Soliani, like the Tulipchoc for 40 euros.
Luca Marchini
"This is the third year we've been producing the Colomba in significant numbers, and I've decided it must be absolutely classic, with glaze, candied fruits, and orange paste (but the sugar content is low, as always in my leavened goods). This is because the numbers are significantly lower, and because I love the classic nature of the Colomba, with a very delicate glaze that doesn't fully cover the surface to avoid tipping the sweetness balance, and the aroma of almonds." The price is 38 euros at the restaurant, trattoria, on the website, and in specialty retail shops, even in London and Paris.
Niko Romito
A winning recipe doesn't change, but it evolves through constant study: this year, Niko Romito also offers his amazing Colomba with organic orange candied fruits, Sicilian organic almond emulsion, cinnamon and lemon essential oils, raw sugar beet praline and toasted almonds, creating a harmony of subtle citrus and floral aromas and an ethereal yet creamy texture. For the more indulgent, there's the Tanzania chocolate variant, with abundant flakes in the fragrant citrus and white flower dough. They are available for purchase on https://shop.laboratorionikoromito.it/collections/lievitati website at the price of 45 euros.
Ciccio Sultano
Ciccio Sultano's Colomba is the queen of all, handmade and naturally leavened for a celebration of Sicily with candied oranges, lemons, almonds, and a colorful recycled packaging. It can be ordered at the Banchi or on the website cicciosultanoshop.it for the price of 42 euros.
Pasquale Tozzi
Pasquale Tozzi at Pescatore continues to perfect his leavened goods. For this Easter, he offers three options: the traditional Colomba, but with citrus pastry cream in addition to the candied peels, the Neapolitan pastiera, and the Rosa del Garda, a ring cake with the scents of extra virgin olive oil and lemon from the lake. In the Colomba, the scent of orange blossoms typical of Neapolitan Easter is enhanced in the pastry cream: "At the same level of difficulty as panettone, the result is still alive. From nothing, leavened goods reach the peak of their beauty and aroma. During this period, they represent the perfect conclusion to a restaurant meal, even as a small pastry, because they make people happy and convey a spring atmosphere." At the price of 30 euros they are sold at Abiendi, a pastry shop next to their lab in Castrezzato, Conti Thun in Puegnago (also online), or by writing to the chef on his social media.
