An Italian factory worker won the first ever Tiramisu World Cup on Sunday, beating 700 other amateurs to whip up the softest and creamiest version of Italy's famous dessert. Hundreds of would-be pudding maestros descended on the city of Treviso armed with whisks and sieves to compete in the two-day challenge to make the best tiramisu, which means "pick-me-up" in Italian.

The eventual winner, Andrea Ciccolella, 28, hails from Feltre in the Veneto region and works in an eyewear factory. "My dream is to be a pastry chef and open a small cake shop of my own, where I'd make traditional, home-cooked things. Nothing fancy, but tasty and made well," the victor told AFP.