Baklava, the thin flaky pastry filled with chopped nuts and honey is one of the most popular desserts in Turkey and indeed is beloved around the world. Baklava was developed in the imperial kitchens of the Topkapı Palace Museum in Istanbul which served as the residence and the administrative headquarters for the Ottoman sultans in the 15th century. Until 1924 it served as a palace before being transformed into a museum. The Sultan presented trays of baklava to his royal troops every 15th of the month of Ramadan in a ceremonial procession called the Baklava Alayı.

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