Paul Klee

Paul Klee is a contemporary dessert created by three-Michelin-starred chef Enrico Crippa at Piazza Duomo in Alba, Italy. First introduced as part of the restaurant’s multi-course tasting menu, the dish is named after the Swiss-German painter, whose abstract, color-block compositions directly inspire its presentation. The dessert is constructed as a deconstructed millefoglie, layering impossibly thin, caramelized pastry wafers with a light vanilla cream and fresh seasonal berries. What distinguishes a great version is the precision of the geometric plating—each element arranged in crisp, painterly blocks that echo Klee’s use of primary colors and negative space—and the contrast between the shattering pastry and the silky cream. The dish has become a signature of Piazza Duomo, frequently highlighted by food critics and featured on *Cosa mangiamo oggi?*, where it was described as “a plate that tastes as vivid as it looks.” Regional variations are rare due to the dish’s specific restaurant-bound identity, though some pastry chefs in northern Italy have adapted the concept using local hazelnuts or Moscato-soaked fruit. Outside Italy, fine-dining interpretations occasionally substitute the cream with yogurt or buttermilk sorbet for a lighter finish. However, the definitive version remains at Piazza Duomo, where Crippa’s team continues to refine the balance of texture and color, treating the plate as a canvas for edible art.