(KCBS) – KCBS Food and Wine Editor Narsai David discovered the best Easter Dove pastry in the Bay Area.

Emporio Rulli makes the best Easter Dove ever. It’s called “La Colomba Pasquale” and it’s really a panettone that’s made in the shape of a large dove especially for Easter. I’ve been making panettone for years at home, I just hope someday I can make one with this quality of lightness and firmness all at the same time.

Originally it was made in the Lombardy province of northern Italy. It’s naturally leavened which means it’s a very slow fermentation process – it takes 72 hours to produce this. It contains plenty of butter, eggs, sugar, Agrimontana candied orange peels and a little bit of natural orange oil to build up that flavor. It’s baked with an egg wash and covered with almond paste and toasted almonds.

It’s made locally by Emporio Rulli, whose pastry shop says ‘Italy’ more so than any pastry shop I’ve seen.

- KCBS Food and Wine Editor Narsai David

Info:
La Colomba Pasquale “The Easter Dove”
Available April 10-24, 2011
Emporio Rulli
www.rulli.com

Narsai David is the KCBS Food and Wine Editor. He has been a successful restaurateur, chef, TV host, and columnist in the Bay Area spanning four decades.

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