Branded doves, are they really better than low cost ones? The comparison

Low-cost and large-scale retail trade doves, is there a difference? The comparison of 8 products sold in 2019 in supermarkets.

Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerous

Low-cost and large-scale retail trade doves, is there a difference? The comparison of 8 products sold in 2019 in supermarkets.

Easter is coming and we do not give up on having on our tables, in addition to the chocolate egg, also the dove. But how to choose a quality one? Those of the well-known brands and those of supermarkets or discount stores how do they differ?

An interesting comparison regarding Easter doves was made by Qualeschoose.com which has assessed the quality of 8 different brands, commonly sold in shops and supermarkets, with the aim of understanding what characteristics a dove must have to define itself as quality beyond the brand or cost to the consumer.

We assume that, according to the Ministerial Decree of 22/07/2005, in the dough of the dove must be used: wheat flour, sugar, whole class A hen's eggs or egg yolk (in quantities not less than 4% of the total), butterfat (minimum 16%), peel of candied citrus fruits (not less than 15%), natural yeast and salt. You can then add additional optional ingredients: milk and derivatives, cocoa butter, honey, sugars, other yeasts, malt flavorings and preservatives such as potassium sorbate and sorbic acid.

But let's go back now to the comparison of the most purchased doves. The analysis evaluated the characteristics of the following products:

Traditional dove Tre Marie
Classic dove trunks
Classic dove toy
Classic dove flower Maina
Colomba without candied fruit Coop
Classic dove Carrefour
Classic dove Lidl Favorina
Classic dove Conad

There are therefore 4 well-known brand products and 4 marketed under the brand of the supermarket where they can be purchased.

In particular, the doves were analyzed by evaluating:

ingredients list
weight
appearance
consistency
Expiration date
price

What are the best doves?

As is already known and we explained to you in an article on Easter doves some time ago there is not always a substantial difference between well-known brand products and supermarket brand products the discount.

As you can read on the qualeschoose.com website: "The comparison between brands and sub-brands reveals unexpected similarities" for example the fact that most producers do not specify the percentage of butterfat on the label, even if in the decree that dictates the rules on how a colomba must be prepared it is clearly stated that this component cannot be less than 16% of the total ingredients.

The compositions are often similar even if, with the same production plant, it does not always equate to a completely identical recipe. The only weapon we have at our disposal is that of read the labels carefully!

Here is the ranking of the best doves according to this analysis:

Tre Marie: has a transparent label and respects the percentages of ingredients. The high price is justified. Highlights: all the percentages of ingredients indicated by the directives are respected. Weaknesses: no
Balocco: the quality of this dove is good and the price is affordable, the relationship between the two characteristics is therefore advantageous. Highlights: good percentage of ingredients. Weaknesses: slightly oily crust
Trunks: third place is won by this dove that has a good list of ingredients even if it is pointed out that the quantity of egg yolk used is not specified. Highlights: natural leavening for 30 hours. Weaknesses: the percentage of yolk is not specified.
Maina: here we already end up a little further away from quality since the indications of the traditional recipe are not followed. It is therefore not a dove but, as stated on the package, of "dove flower". However, the price was evaluated too high. Highlights: crust with macaroons, good alternative for those who do not eat almonds. Weaknesses: high price for not really being a dove.
Conad: like Bauli, the Conad branded dove does not declare the percentage of egg yolk but the other ingredients are all those required by the ministerial decree and in the right quantities. The price is considered satisfactory. Highlights: quantity of candied fruit and almonds greater than other supermarket doves. Weaknesses: the leavening time and the percentage of egg yolk are unknown
Coop: good leavening of this dove but despite being free of candied fruit it has a higher price than the others. Highlights: natural leavening and 40 hours of processing. Weaknesses: higher price than all the others despite being free of candied fruit
Crossroads: it is the cheapest colomba with a lower percentage of candied fruit than the others. Also in this case the percentage of yolk included in the recipe is not known. Highlights: price. Weaknesses: unspecified percentage of eggs and a few orange peels.
Lidl Favorina: some problems have been found in this colomba as regards the glaze that does not follow the indications of the ministerial decree according to which it is possible to use, in addition to almonds,: armelline, hazelnuts or cashews, flour (rice, corn or wheat), cocoa, sugars, starches, vegetable oils, natural flavors, emulsifiers and the two preservatives, potassium sorbate and sorbic acid. Highlights: right percentage of candied fruit. Weaknesses: icing ingredients

No significant differences were found in terms of expiration date, almost all the doves must be consumed by June-July 2019. To get a complete picture and to know the whole list of ingredients of these doves you can click here.

How to choose a dove

We understand that there is not always a big difference between brands and subbrands and what we really need to pay attention to is the label and the list of ingredients. So let's pay attention to the type of flour used, the sugar but also any additional ingredients, flavorings and preservatives.

It is good to choose colombe in which the type of yeast used is clear as well as the leavening and production times.

It is clear, however, that if we want to buy a real quality dove we should choose artisanal and organic products, made with ingredients of a higher level than supermarket products.

The best alternative is still to prepare your own colomba at home with selected ingredients. Here you will find our recipe.

Read also: