We fell in love with these magical wedding treats [Izo – Balići]

Coming from Istria, we had heard about the pastries from Balići since we were little. They were a fixture at every baptism, First Communion, confirmation, wedding, and birthday—in fact, at every single celebration—but since we were children, Mom handled all the arrangements. We just knew the pastries were superb and couldn’t wait for the next celebration so we could stuff ourselves with sugar.

Now it’s finally our wedding’s turn, so we finally asked Mom where those delicious cakes had been coming from all these years. The answer is—from the Izo pastry shop in Balići.

Izo Patisserie offers the most beautiful and delicious pastries and wedding cakes in Istria. Their treats are a delight for all the senses! Captivated by the look and taste of Izo’s creations, we simply had to include them in the *Isaidyes* world. To help you get to know Izo, we present our interview with them.

1. How did you get started in this business?

Long ago, our grandfather owned a mill and had a fresh raw material—flour. It was only natural for us to start making bread, given that we had freshly milled flour.

Nakon pekare, dio energije posvetili smo slastičarni. Kako se Istra popularizirala kao destinacija za vjenčanje, počeli smo raditi sve više svadbenih torti i slastica.

After the bakery, we devoted some of our energy to the pastry shop. As Istria gained popularity as a wedding destination, we began creating an increasing number of wedding cakes and desserts.Oduvijek spajamo tradicijonalne recepture i moderne načine izrade naših torti. Imamo tu sreću što naši kupci prepoznaju trud koji ulažemo i kvalitetu naših slastica.

We are happiest when satisfied newlyweds get in touch with us after the wedding. It is wonderful to make the happiest day of a new couple’s life even more beautiful.

2. What kind of wedding cookies are currently trending?

The choice of desserts depends on the wedding style and the couple’s tastes. Our clients often opt for traditional Istrian cookies when organizing an authentic Istrian wedding.

There are also those who prefer modern celebration styles featuring a slightly different selection of treats—such as mousse cups, mini cheesecakes, panna cotta, and the like.

3. Which cookies would you recommend for an outdoor wedding?

Given that most weddings take place in the warm period of the year, we recommend newlyweds to order products with less cream for an outdoor celebration. It is best to sweeten the guests with pies, tarts, macarons, etc.

4. What kind of wedding cakes are currently in fashion?

It is truly difficult to answer this question because there are no rules. It is a pleasure to work on various wedding styles and create unique desserts. And a special thank you to all the couples who give us free rein to design their wedding cakes.

It must certainly be said that the trend of rustic naked and semi-naked cakes decorated with fresh flowers is one of the most popular choices.

5. What kind of decorations have been appearing on cakes lately?

Flowers have always been our favorite, and we believe the bride and groom appreciate this style of ours. For decoration, we use fresh, pressed, and dried flowers, as well as flowers crafted from sugar and other techniques. You can find all this and much more on our Instagram page, where we strive to post photos of our cakes daily.

6. What are your best cakes?

The three mousses—Ariba and Nocciolina—are the most popular, but there really are no rules; after all, Severina chose Delizia Nera for her wedding. Franka Batelić also opted for something unconventional, which is why we encourage engaged couples to sample different flavors before making a decision. Here are some of our most popular flavors:

• Three mousses – dark chocolate mousse, white chocolate mousse, and milk chocolate mousse.
• Ariba – light white chocolate mousse and red fruit (strawberries, raspberries, redcurrants, and blueberries)
• Nocciolina – hazelnut cream, dark chocolate mousse, and a delicious walnut sponge cake.
• Delizia Nera – dark chocolate mousse, orange cream, and crunchy chocolate-coated flakes.
• Milleveli – mascarpone cream, hazelnut cream, chocolate rice, honey
• Chocolate mousse – chocolate mousse and chocolate sponge (flourless)