Shaki halva

For Shaki halva a runny rice-flour batter is poured through a special funnel onto a hot griddle in a fine net called rishta. Layers of rishta are filled with crushed hazelnuts and cardamom, topped with more rishta and then drenched in honey-and-sugar syrup.

The top is coloured with saffron; the halva is usually baked on large copper trays and cut into diamonds.

Shaki halva is the town's most famous sweet and souvenir, and masters pass the craft down within their families.