Savouring sweets from around the world

Originating from Turkey, baklava is a delicious crunchy sweet dish believed to be made by the Assyrians in 8^th century BC. Refined by inhabitants of the Ottoman Empire, the paper-thin phyllo dough is infused with grated nuts dipped in a special syrup. This syrup consists of rose water and cardamom or honey. Spreading across to the surrounding regions, the dish has undergone several modifications.

This French delicacy when translated implies 'King's Cake'. Made frequently during the month of Christmas and New Year, it is widely sold in the sweet city of romance. Multiple layers of smooth buttery puffs sprinkled with sugar and covered with smooth almond cream evoke the foodie in you. Toasted to perfection, this one is a definite must-try when in Paris.

The Mawa Cake is an ultimate delight for every foodie in India. Savoured as a tea time snack by many chai enthusiasts, this cake is made simply out of milk infused with cardamom. To make for a crunchier bite, grated almonds and cashews are sprinkled on top. Typical in most quaint Irani cafes in Mumbai, this delicacy has lasted culinary development and generations.

These fat cakes are one of the local sweets in South Africa which were first made around 1800. Made up of cake dough moulded into small balls deep fried in oil, the sweet taste of raisins and black currants pervades a foodie's desires like no other. When eaten with the traditional syrup, sugar or honey, the pastry goes very well as a light snack.

An exquisite find in the splendid landscapes of Spain, this dessert is made in almost every household during Christmas. The tradition continues in the surrounding countries as well. Presenting a mix of sugar, honey, egg whites and toasted almonds, Turrón is a very old concept. It is believed to have drawn inspiration from a Muslim savoury.