Augustinian spirit in “Cor Unum”, the dessert of Madrid's pastry chefs for the Pope's visit

A Vatican coat of arms in the middle and the white and yellow colors of the flag of the Holy See predominate in the appearance of the dessert created by the Association of Artisan Entrepreneurs of the Pastry Sector of Madrid (Asociación de Empresarios Artesanos del Sector de Pastelería de Madrid (ASEMPAS), at the request of the Community of Madrid, to commemorate the visit of Leo XIV to the capital.

The dessert has been named “Cor Unum”, a Latin expression that means “one heart”, of long Catholic tradition and refers to the spirit of fraternity and union typical of the Augustinian tradition. The intention is that Leo XIV himself may also taste the sweet at some point during his stay in the capital. In fact, the dessert has already been delivered to the Nuncio, who will be hosting the Pope during these days.

A dessert with traditional roots

Pablo and Jacobo Moreno, creators of the sweet, explained to Omnes that, when considering its elaboration, they thought of a product, first of all, suitable for the dates. That is to say, that it had freshness, and hence the presence of lemon and strawberry in the composition. It was also intended to be a product easy to carry as a souvenir. On the other hand, they explain that, logically, “we wanted there to be a representation of how important it is that the Pope comes”, which refers to the Vatican coat of arms and tones that adorn it. “It is a traditional tea paste, with traditional flavors,” they say.

The Moreno brothers, pastry chefs, are the production managers of the Mallorca chain of pastry shops, which were created by their family more than a century ago, from a lottery jackpot that a predecessor of theirs received and invested in the creation of a store dedicated to the sale of ensaimadas and other products from Mallorca. That initial store has now become an important and prestigious chain of establishments.

The proposal of the Moreno brothers won among others submitted by different bakeries to the call launched by the Community of Madrid and the association of confectioners to create the commemorative dessert for the Pope's visit.

The “Cor Unum” consists of a tea pastry made with two layers of classic butter sablé dough, joined by a soft lemon cream and a core of homemade Aranjuez strawberry jam (an emblematic product of Madrid's orchard). All this is wrapped in a thin white chocolate bath and decorated in yellow tones. On top, a sheet of white chocolate decorated with the Vatican coat of arms.

Among the allergens present in the dessert are gluten, milk, nuts, egg and soy. A gluten-free version suitable for people with celiac disease will also be produced.

A dessert for everyone

The recipe for the sweet has been provided to several bakeries in Madrid so that each one can make its own. Although, given the simplicity of the recipe, Pablo Moreno assures that it could also be made at home, since the components are simple: lemon cream, strawberry jam and cookie. The dessert will be available in different artisan bakeries in the region during the dates of the papal visit.

Also, to publicize this initiative, ASEMPAS, will offer a free dessert tasting on Saturday 6 and Sunday June 7 at the Tourist Office of the Puerta del Sol, in the morning.