March 21 is full of international commemorations —from the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to the Day of Forests or Poetry—, but there is one, less known, that is lived with a spoon in hand: International Tiramisu Day. All over the world, the most universal Italian dessert continues to gain followers and, in Barcelona, the celebration arrives big this year.
In the Born neighborhood, the specialized store Demartini wanted to join the ephemeris with a singular action: the creation of the largest tiramisu ever made in Spain. It is a three-square-meter dessert —following the classic recipe, with that characteristic sweet and bitter taste— that will be distributed free of charge among all those who come to the premises (C/ dels Carders, 44) from 4 p.m. until supplies last —approximately 500 portions—.
Beyond the spectacular nature, the initiative is also a tribute to a dessert that has conquered the world —even having its own celebration— and a way to celebrate the growth of this project in the Born neighborhood, which with less than a year of life already foresees new openings in the city and beyond.
The elaboration of this great tiramisu also represents a challenge for the store, especially considering that Demartini has opted from the beginning for a very specific format: individual take-away tubs, with a price of between 5.5 and 6 euros. In addition to the classic tiramisu, they offer variants of pistachio, hazelnut, strawberry or salted caramel, as well as seasonal flavors —such as panettone tiramisu during the Christmas holidays—. Despite this variety, tiramisu is the absolute center of the proposal: they do not serve coffee or other desserts. "We want to make only this dessert, but do it well, being faithful to the authentic Italian recipe," summarizes Daniele Demartini, one of the promoters of the project.
Behind the initiative are three Italian entrepreneurs—Daniele Demartini, Marcella Tarroni, and Francesco Ferruzzi, owner of the Italian bakery Nabucco, in Gràcia (C/ de la Fraternitat, 31)—who have decided to turn nostalgia and a family recipe into a project with local ambition. Settled in the city for two decades, the three detected a clear opportunity: despite the popularity of tiramisu, Barcelona had few bakeries specialized in this dessert—although there are places like Valentina e Pasqualina (C/ Provença, 226) or Mamma Tiramisù (C/ Sant Pere Més Baix, 14)—especially when compared to Italian cities like Rome or Florence.
The three promoters found their natural space in El Born, a neighborhood that in recent years has consolidated itself as a sweet hub of reference in the city, especially with single-product stores, such as the cheesecakes from Jon Cake or the Catalan cream from Sucre Cremat, which join great pastry references like Brunells or Hofmann.
The goal was clear: to achieve a tiramisu faithful to tradition, but lighter and creamier. "The true tiramisu is one that, as soon as you finish it, you already want another one," explains Demartini. For seven months, and starting from family recipes—those prepared by their grandmothers on Sundays or for special celebrations—they researched, tested, and adjusted until they found their own formula.
The secret, explains Demartini, lies in the cream—made from egg, sugar, and mascarpone—an apparently simple element that requires great technical precision. One of the key points is the double pasteurization of the egg, which guarantees food safety—even for pregnant women—without altering its flavor or texture.
Every day they prepare fresh cream and let the product rest to acquire consistency and depth of flavor. The result is a balanced tiramisu, with that just right mix between the bitterness of coffee and the sweetness of the cream, with a light texture that moves away from heavier versions, common in other restaurants in the city. In addition, they also take care of the origin of their ingredients: pistachios from Sicily, hazelnuts from Piedmont, organic eggs from Galicia, strawberries from Maresme and savoiardi produced in Italy—the only element they do not make directly in the bakery—soaked with coffee prepared in an authentic Italian coffee maker.
All of this, in an artisanal process that takes place in the workshop visible from the entrance of the premises. The business model is equally clear: a single individual size, fast sales, and a take-away approach. "It's an easy product to choose and consume," summarizes Demartini. The production rhythm is intense: on weekdays they make about 300 units daily, and on weekends they can reach up to 600 each day —that is, more than 3,5000 sweets sold per week—, thanks to a team already made up of seven people.
The clientele is mostly international, both due to the location and the opening hours —from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m.—, which cover all the sweet moments of the day: from desserts and snacks to late-night cravings. "Every hour has its audience," says Demartini. "Tiramisu is a sweet with international recognition; even people from the Middle East know and enjoy it," he adds.
Despite its short trajectory —the Born store opened in early July—, the team is already working on a second location in the upper area of the city, in the Eixample, and does not rule out opening two or three more stores in Barcelona before making the leap to other cities.
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