The sweet shops of Baščaršija are among the most reliable pleasures of Sarajevo. Several old-town shops have been selling baklava, tufahija, halva, and lokum for generations, using recipes and techniques that the Ottoman pastry tradition developed over centuries. The Bosnian version of baklava uses walnuts rather than pistachios, lighter syrup than the Turkish original, and slightly less dense pastry — a distinction that Sarajevans are happy to explain at length.
Tufahija — a whole poached apple stuffed with walnut cream and topped with whipped cream — is the most distinctly Bosnian sweet and the one most worth seeking out. It is not available everywhere and is usually made in limited quantities each day. The best versions are made with the small, tart Bosnian apples that appear in autumn. Look for shops in the side streets of Baščaršija that have a glass case display of handmade sweets rather than mass-produced imports.