The Easter tradition shaped from panettone.

We conclude our panettone season with La Colomba Pasquale, Italy’s traditional Easter cake and a symbol of spring across the country.

Its modern form was developed in 1930s Milan by Dino Villani of Motta, who adapted panettone dough for Easter so bakeries could continue their craft beyond the Christmas season.

Over time, it evolved from a practical idea into a tradition of its own, refined by generations of Italian pastry chefs.

At Emporio Rulli, Colomba is prepared with the same slow process as panettone, naturally leavened over three days using our lievito madre. The dough is enriched with butter and eggs, folded with candied orange peel, and finished with an almond glaze and sugar crystals before being shaped into its signature dove form.

For over 40 years, Gary has baked Colomba each spring, continuing a tradition that, while younger than panettone, is no less essential to the Italian table.

Light, aromatic, and delicately structured, it is meant to be shared as spring begins.

La Colomba Pasquale - $68.00

La Colomba Pasquale is Italy’s traditional Easter cake, naturally leavened over three days using our lievito madre.  Made with butter, eggs, and candied orange peel, and finished with an almond glaze, whole almonds, and sugar crystals. (1200g)

Order by March 30 to ensure arrival before Easter. Limited production each week.

Order Here.

Easter at Emporio Rulli is a time for tradition.

Our seasonal menu is now available, featuring a selection of classic Italian pastries and cakes prepared fresh in our bakery. From La Colomba Pasquale to our signature spring desserts, each piece reflects the spirit of the holiday.

Zeppole are available for a few more days before the season comes to a close.

View Easter menu here.

La Colomba Pasquale - $68.00

La Colomba Pasquale is the traditional Italian cake of Easter. Similar to panettone, this naturally leavened sweet bread is made with creamy butter, eggs, flour, and candied orange peel, then topped with a crisp almond glaze, whole almonds, and sugar crystals. (1200g)

Order Here.

La Pastiera Napoletana - $42.00

A Neapolitan Easter Tart, this traditional Southern Italian torta is found from Rome to Naples during Easter.  Its creamy texture comes from a blend of custard, softened wheat kernels, and fresh ricotta from Sonoma’s own Bellwether Farms - a delicious combination you’ll want to try.

Order Here.

Hot Cross Buns - $3.95

Our traditional Hot Cross Buns are made throughout Lent — a soft brioche filled with raisins and candied fruit, finished with a custard cross.

10% off when you order 12 or more buns. Use Discount Code: HCB12 at checkout!

Order Here.

Two of Italy’s most beloved spring traditions are arriving at Emporio Rulli.

Next week we celebrate St. Joseph’s Day, when bakeries across Italy prepare Zeppole di San Giuseppe, delicate pastries filled with pastry cream and topped with Amarena cherries.

At the same time, Gary has just baked the first batches of La Colomba Pasquale, the traditional Italian Easter cake made with the same slow natural fermentation as panettone.

For a short time, both of these seasonal specialties are available from our Larkspur bakery.

Zeppole di San Giuseppe

One of Italy’s sweetest traditions arrives next week.

Each year for St. Joseph’s Day, Gary prepares Zeppole di San Giuseppe made from delicate fried bignè layered with vanilla sponge, Kirsch liquor, whipped cream, pastry cream, and Amarena cherries.

Available March 17–22 only.

Buy 10 or more and receive 10% off with code ZEP10.

Order Here.

La Colomba Pasquale

The first Colombe of the season are out of the oven.

This traditional Italian Easter cake is naturally leavened for nearly three days, enriched with butter and eggs, folded with candied orange peel, and finished with a crisp almond glaze.

Large Colombe are now available for nationwide shipping, and both large and small cakes are appearing in the bakery as fresh batches come out of the oven.

Because they are baked in limited seasonal batches, availability may vary.

Order Here.

In Italy, the mimosa flower has symbolized strength and appreciation for women since the 1940s, when it was chosen to represent International Women’s Day, Festa della Donna.

Emporio Rulli was founded by Gary and his wife, Jeannie Rulli, and shaped over the years by many talented women, from pastry chefs to longtime team members and loyal customers. This week, we celebrate them and all the remarkable women in our community.

To mark the occasion, Gary is preparing our traditional Torta Mimosa for this weekend.

Vanilla sponge cake soaked with orange punch liqueur, layered with Zabaglione whipped cream, and finished with pineapple and peach gelatin.

Available for pickup Sunday, March 8.

Order Here

Many of you have asked about Zeppole. Gary will begin making them the week of March 19.

Last evening, Gary Rulli and Emporio Rulli were honored by Gambero Rosso with Three Cornetti—a distinction reserved for the finest Italian pastry programs.

Ristobar was also awarded Two Forks, recognizing excellence in Italian cuisine.

To be acknowledged by Italy’s most respected culinary authority is an extraordinary honor, and one we share with our community.

Grazie.

After the indulgence of Carnevale, the calendar turns quietly toward Lent. With Ash Wednesday, we begin baking one of the season’s most enduring traditions: Panini della Quaresima.

Long before they were known as Hot Cross Buns, these lightly spiced brioche were prepared throughout Europe to mark the beginning of Lent. The cross traced across the top is not decorative. It is symbolic, representing reflection and renewal during the forty days leading to Easter.

At Emporio Rulli, we continue this tradition each year, filling our buns with raisins and candied fruit and marking them by hand. We bake them fresh each morning throughout Lent.

Order here.

Lunch at Rulli's

Salad Specials

Light, flavorful, and perfect for a midday break, our salad specials highlight fresh seasonal ingredients like roasted beets with goat cheese and walnuts.

February has begun, and with it, Carnivale celebrations across Italy. In cities like Venice and Viareggio, the season is marked by masquerades, grand parades, and the return of traditional sweets, including chiacchiere. At its heart, Carnivale has always been a food holiday, a time when indulgence takes its place at the table before the quiet of Lent.

Chiacchiere trace their origins to ancient Rome, where strips of dough known as frictilia were prepared in large quantities for public festivals and shared in the streets. Over centuries, the pastry evolved and spread across Italy, taking on different names and shapes from region to region. In the nineteenth century, during a visit to Naples, Queen Margherita of Savoy is said to have requested a pastry to serve her guests, and her chef named them chiacchiere, meaning “chatter,” meant to be enjoyed while talking and laughing.
 

At Emporio Rulli, we honor this tradition by preparing them each year and calling them chiacchiere. Made in the traditional way and enjoyed only during this brief season, they connect us to centuries of history and celebration. We hope you enjoy the story behind them and invite you to give them a try.

Made from a delicate dough of flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and milk, then fried to perfection, a defining sweet of the Carnivale season. Now available in-store, you can enjoy them by the piece or in a pack of 12.

Valentine's Day Chocolate Box

Make the holiday unforgettable with our special box of 16 handcrafted chocolates, curated exclusively for Valentine’s Day. Each piece is made to delight, offering a balanced assortment of flavors and textures that speak to love in every bite.

Pre-orders are now open, with shipping beginning February 5th.

Order Here.

Panettone Paradiso

We’re excited to bring back our beloved Panettone Paradiso—Emporio Rulli’s signature chocolate panettone. Made with Domori chocolate, California walnuts, golden raisins, and candied orange peel, then finished with a soft almond-walnut topping. They will be baked fresh on Monday.

Pre-orders are now open, with shipping beginning February 9th.

Order Here.

Amor Polenta

A classic from Lombardy, our Amor Polenta cake is crafted with cornmeal, butter, almonds, and maraschino. Simple, comforting, and elegant, it’s a perfect treat for the season of love.

Order Here.

January is a quieter moment in the bakery, one we enjoy for its slower pace and lingering traditions. As the holidays fade into winter, we continue baking the sweets that belong to this time of year, while beginning to look ahead to what’s next.

February marks the beginning of Carnival season, when we return to frying a special pastry that signals the shift toward spring.

Befanini Cookies

Our Befanini remain a favorite as we continue celebrating the season of Epiphany. These tender, lightly sweet cookies are traditionally baked in Italy to honor La Befana and are meant to be enjoyed slowly, often with coffee or tea. Simple and comforting, they’re a small reminder that the holidays don’t end all at once.

Order here for shipping.

Cake of the Week

This is likely the final week for our King’s Cake, a centerpiece of the Epiphany tradition. Made with all-butter puff pastry and frangipane, each cake includes a hidden charm and is finished in one of this year’s four flavors: Milan Meets Paris, Classico, Dubai, and L’America. A festive way to mark the close of the season and gather one last time around the table.

See flavors here.
 

Rulli Stollen

We’re continuing to bake Stollen into January, and many of you have been asking for it. This traditional German winter bread is made with a naturally leavened brioche dough, a generous almond paste center, candied lemon peel, golden raisins, currants, and finished with vanilla sugar. Designed to keep well after slicing, Stollen is meant to be enjoyed slowly, making it a perfect companion for the quieter winter days ahead.

Order here for shipping.

A winter cookie shaped by folklore and the sea.

The origin of Befanini is wrapped in legend. In the 19th century, a cargo ship carrying anise is said to have sunk in the Tyrrhenian Sea, just off the coast of Viareggio. Its cargo disappeared beneath the water, then slowly returned to shore. What was recovered found its way into local kitchens, where anise became part of everyday baking, and eventually inseparable from Befanini.

The cookies take their name from La Befana, a familiar figure in Italian folklore tied to Epiphany and the tradition of sharing sweets in winter. Over time, Befanini became less about a single day and more about a season, baked through the colder months, shaped to feel festive, and meant to bring a sense of lightness and joy.

Our Befanini are a little different from most of what fills our pastry case, and that’s exactly why we love them. In a refined emporium known for its elegance and tradition, they are easily our most playful pastry. Shaped as stars and finished with colorful nonpareils, they’re the cookies that stop children in their tracks at the glass, and the ones that make adults smile, remembering the simple joy of choosing something just for fun.

They’re also a welcome way to brighten the winter months. Long after the holidays have passed, Befanini bring color, warmth, and a sense of lightness to a time of year that can feel quiet and grey. Best enjoyed slowly, often with something warm to drink, they remind us that a little sweetness goes a long way.

A Rulli Classic.

Available in a 22 oz jar, and for this month only, also offered in a 1 lb tray. Made with: flour, butter, sugar, eggs, baking powder, Galliano liqueur, lemon, salt, anise seed, and nonpareil sugar. Nut free.

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