The story of Zoolbia-e-Bamya Iran’s favourite cakes

Let’s face it – it is the cakes that draw most people into Persepolis. Nearly everyone knows about baklava and her naughty Middle Eastern cousins. They go by different names in different places, but every land east of the Hellespont and west of the Hindus has them. There you are, strolling along minding everybody else’s business in true eastern style, when suddenly you’ll spot them, winking at you from some alluring pâtisserie window and that’s it, you’re smitten. These brazen little numbers are the undoing of many a waistband and diet. I am afraid that we too leave them lurking in full public view to tempt the weak and ensnare the willing. The Persian cookies and pastries which we import twice-weekly are barely more virtuous. And recently we have started stocking Persian cream cakes.