Every year, we eagerly anticipate the return of la colomba di Pasqua, or the “Easter dove.” In Italy, this artisanal cake is a sweet sign of spring. Easter's counterpart to the Christmastime panettone and pandoro, the rich and fluffy cake is traditionally made with high-quality flour, farm-fresh eggs, sugar, butter, and natural yeast that takes at least 30 hours to rise. After curing, the dough is then baked into the iconic dove shape and finally topped with pearl sugar and almonds.

Sound complicated? It is. Like panettone, colomba is one of the rare exceptions to Italian cuisine; even the most traditional nonna will buy her colomba from the store, rather than make it herself. Expert bakers rise to the occasion, often adding their own twist by studding regional ingredients into the dough, from IGP hazelnuts in Piemonte to Amarena cherries in Emilia-Romagna.