As Easter 2026 approaches, pastry shops across Italy are competing with increasingly sophisticated leavened products, icings and fillings. The artisanal colomba market is now light years away from the classic shelf product: consumers are looking for quality raw materials, doughs processed according to tradition and combinations capable of surprising. And in this increasingly competitive scenario, there is a name that, in the panorama of Italian fine pastry making, once again dictates the maximum price: that of Iginio Massari.
The master from Brescia, considered by many to be the greatest living Italian pastry chef, presents himself at Easter 2026 with a complex and ambitious proposal. Since the beginning of March, its stores and official website have been filled with creations dedicated to the occasion: little eggs, maxi chocolate eggs, revisited cakes and exclusive gift boxes. But the heart of the Easter offering remains, as always, the dove.
The range covers different tastes and preferences: there is the classic version with almonds and orange peel, the chocolate and raspberry version with its iconic pink icing, and the pistachio version with granulated sugar. All strictly artisanal, packaged fresh and without preservatives, available in 500 gram and one kilo formats, with prices ranging between 35 and 60 euros. An already high range compared to the market average, but justified by the quality of the ingredients and the care taken in the production process.
What stands out above all else, however, is this year’s absolute novelty: a one kilo limited edition dove, glazed with dark chocolate and rum, enriched with dark and milk chocolate nuggets, rum raisins and candied orange. A refined balance of intense sweetness, warm and enveloping notes of rum and a hint of citrus acidity that lightens the whole without breaking its coherence. The result is a product that can be delicious and sophisticated at the same time, designed for those who want to bring something memorable to the table.
The price? Seventy-five euros, which officially places it as the most expensive dove currently available on the market for Easter 2026. A figure that, for many, might seem excessive, but which also tells the value of a craftsmanship that, in Italy, still has no rivals.
