Italy’s Pastry Legend Has a Tiramisu Secret (and a Few More Desserts)

Just saying tiramisu is enough to make you crave a dessert that tastes of tradition and happy moments. Now imagine it in the hands of Iginio Massari. In Italy, he needs no introduction: he’s the pastry chef other pastry chefs look up to, a familiar face on TV, and the man behind the lines that form outside his pastry shops. His tiramisu is a chance to rediscover this great classic through an expert eye. And the curiosity doesn’t end there, because the Maestro has a few more sweet creations worth getting to know.

Iginio Massari's indulgent tiramisu is a refined version of the great Italian classic, one well worth discovering! The secret is in the mascarpone cream, enriched with pastry cream, with a smooth, airy, and light consistency that envelops layers of soft homemade ladyfingers, generously soaked in coffee. Making it even more impressive are the wavy decoration, the dusting of unsweetened cocoa powder, and the thin flakes of dark chocolate. A dessert that will make you want to sink your spoon in right away!

Amor polenta is a traditional Lombard dessert that wins you over with its delicate aroma, golden color, and characteristic loaf shape. Also known as Dolce di Varese, its distinctive quality comes from fine corn flour, which, together with almond flour, gives the batter a moist, fragrant texture, scented with vanilla and lemon zest. Maestro Iginio Massari suggests enjoying it with a simple dusting of powdered sugar, but you can also serve it with fresh fruit or chantilly cream for an even more indulgent break!

Iginio Massari's apricot jam tart is a great classic of Italian pastry that smells of home and tradition! A crumbly, delicate shortcrust pastry, flavored with vanilla, lemon, and a touch of honey, encloses a delicious apricot jam filling. The Maestro's secret? Let the pastry dough rest overnight to achieve an impeccable result. With its characteristic golden lattice and fruit filling, it's one of those desserts that makes you want to cut a second slice right away!

Iginio Massari's baci di dama are little pastry masterpieces that contain all the sweetness of Piedmontese tradition! Two crumbly almond cookies, delicately golden, come together thanks to a thin layer of dark chocolate, just like two lips exchanging a kiss. The contrast between the delicate shortcrust cookie and the chocolate makes every bite a little temptation. And with the Maestro's tips, you can prepare them at home too, for an indulgent break where one cookie inevitably leads to another!

Iginio Massari's white chocolate and lemon pound cake is a soft, wonderfully fragrant dessert in which the sweetness of white chocolate meets the freshness of lemon. But what makes it truly special is the citrus syrup soak that permeates the batter, followed by a thin layer of apricot jam and the distinctive weeping glaze, which gives it a shiny surface and helps keep the cake soft for a long time. A recipe that transforms the classic pound cake into a little pastry delight, to enjoy slice after slice!