Egyptians celebrate Ramadan with traditional sweets

Many Egyptians marked the start of Ramadan on Saturday by flocking to shops to buy traditional Ramadan desserts.

Kunafa, qatayef and baklava have always been very popular desserts during the holy period and are a specialty in many households.

"Today we went to pray in the mosques, finally the mosques opened, thank God that the mosques opened for women, we prayed Taraweeh, this is a very beautiful thing and before there was the feeling that we missed something, but now we feel Ramadan, and of course we went down to buy kunafa and qatayef. It is a Ramadan ritual, every Ramadan we must do it", said local resident in Cairo, Reham Mohamed.

Traditional desserts are made using a mixture of flour, water and powdered milk. "Baladi kunafa is only available from year to year. There is a huge demand for it and you see the crowds buying it because people do not eat it except in Ramadan - qatayef, baladi and kunafa", explained Om Yasmin, owner of Kunafa Qatayef shop.

Ramadan is the holiest month of the Islamic year when Muslims are expected to fast from dawn to dusk in an effort to renew their focus on spiritual, rather than material, matters.