Colomba

The Marchesi 1824 Colomba, the great cake of spring

With its history that is lost in legend and a shape that makes it a symbol of peace and the reawakening of spring, the Marchesi 1824 Colomba is a cake with an unmistakable aroma. Its different textures and flavours, deriving from the fragrant almond glaze and the soft, aromatic dough with a citrusy taste, create a unique combination.

The crackly sound of the glaze as it is cut, releasing an intense and slightly sugary almond scent, is unmistakable. Immediately after, the inside of the cake appears before our eyes. The colour is intense and the porous crumb structure is perfectly even, but it is the softness — due to natural leavening — that is its distinctive feature. The fluffy texture is studded with candied Sicilian orange peel, set like gems in the cake. At first bite, the aromas of butter and citrus fruits blend and caress the palate together with the crunchy sweetness of the almond, Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar and Italian honey. This is the Marchesi 1824 Colomba, with a unique shape, a symbol of peace and an emblem of the reawakening of spring.

The Colomba made in the Pasticceria Marchesi 1824 kitchens starts with the finest, high-quality ingredients that are carefully selected by master pastry chefs who follow precise steps in a process that lasts over 48 hours. The slow natural leavening process with a yeast starter and subsequent kneading determine, thanks to controlled fermentation, the unique aromatic characteristics of the cake that enhance its main ingredients: wheat flour, the egg yolks of free-range hens, butter from the Piedmont hills, cane sugar and perfectly candied Sicilian orange peel.

But what is the story behind the Colomba? The first news of the cake dates back to the sixth century and is lost in Lombard legends. In the city of Pavia, after a three-year Lombard siege, King Alboin demanded tribute from its most influential citizens. Among them, he received a sweet bread as a symbol of peace, shaped like the ancient sculpture of a dove in St. Michael's Basilica. Amazed by the deliciousness and flavour of this simple cake based on the ancient focaccia, the Lombard king renounced his claim to the city. From that moment on, the Colomba was eaten at Easter throughout the Lombardy Region. Its popularity spread to the rest of the country in the early 20th century and, over time, it became more similar to the leavened cake we know today.

Thus, the story of the Colomba has become a part of our modern-day life. Pasticceria Marchesi 1824 reinterprets it while preserving the tradition of this timeless cake, thanks to the use of the finest ingredients and flawless production.