Armenians love pastry. The great variety of which only adds to the joy. Having access to several kinds of cereals growing in Armenia, locals were able to produce flour, the key ingredient for making pastry.
There is a huge assortment of cookies. With almonds, raisins, sweet, semi-sweet, vanilla, chocolate, etc. Even the dough is different. There are those that are specifically made for eating with tea. Some of them are taken from Russian, Persian cuisines, but most are brainchildren of the Armenians. Some date back to prehistory, some are as new as the day.
The most common is the Gata. There are two types of it. One is round and is filled with a sweet filling. You can find this type of Gata at Geghard Monastery, as well as at other major touristic sights, supermarkets and other stores. The other type is close to a diamond shape or rectangular. It is also filled with the same sweet filling, however the filling is visible through the cuts.
When in Armenia you should try the traditional sweet buns, pakhlava, byoreks, various pies and cakes. Each of them has aunique ingredient that gives them their definite taste. There are special bakeries in Yerevan, Armenia and all over the world that will make them on the spot.
There is a special kind of donut called Ponchik prepared by Armenians that will become your favorite from the first bite. It is basically a dough with a sweet cream inside. You can find them anywhere in Armenia but it is believed that Grand Candy makes the best Ponchiks.
The largest producers of Armenian pastries are Laki, Daroink, Dan Dessert, Zatik and many more. You can buy their products in bakeries, supermarkets and other stores.