Balkan Walnut Stuffed Apples Tufahije 🍎✨

Description

Balkan Walnut Stuffed Apples Tufahije are tender poached apples filled with toasted walnuts, honey, cinnamon, lemon, and vanilla, then served with a glossy syrup and a soft cream finish. This old Balkan dessert is elegant, fragrant, naturally beautiful, and perfect when you want something traditional that still feels special on the table.
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Hook ✨
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Soft poached apples, toasted walnut filling, honey syrup, cinnamon, lemon, and cream make these Balkan tufahije fragrant, elegant, and unforgettable. 🍎

Ingredients

• Apples and syrup 🍎
• 🍎 6 firm apples, peeled and cored (900 g / 2 lb)
• 💧 900 ml water (3¾ cups / 30.4 fl oz)
• 🍯 120 g honey (⅓ cup / 4.2 oz)
• 🍋 40 ml lemon juice (2 tbsp + 2 tsp / 1.35 fl oz)
• 🍋 2 lemon peel strips
• 🌿 5 ml vanilla extract (1 tsp / 0.17 fl oz)
• 🧂 1 tiny pinch fine sea salt
• ‌
• Walnut filling 🌰
• 🌰 180 g walnuts, toasted and finely chopped (1½ cups / 6.3 oz)
• 🍯 45 g honey (2 tbsp / 1.6 oz)
• 🌿 2 g ground cinnamon (1 tsp / 0.07 oz)
• 🍋 10 ml lemon juice (2 tsp / 0.3 fl oz)
• 🥛 30 ml warm milk or apple syrup (2 tbsp / 1 fl oz)
• 🌿 5 ml vanilla extract (1 tsp / 0.17 fl oz)
• ‌
• Cream finish ✨
• 🥛 180 ml heavy cream, chilled (¾ cup / 6 fl oz)
• 🍯 15 g honey (2 tsp / 0.5 oz)
• 🌿 1 g ground cinnamon for dusting (½ tsp / 0.03 oz)
• 🌰 20 g chopped walnuts for topping (2 tbsp / 0.7 oz)

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Prepare the apples 🍎
2. ‌
3. Peel the apples and remove the cores carefully, keeping the apples whole. Rub them with a little lemon juice so they stay bright.
4. ‌
5. 2️⃣ Make the syrup 🍯
6. ‌
7. Add water, honey, lemon juice, lemon peel, vanilla, and salt to a wide pot. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
8. ‌
9. 3️⃣ Poach gently ✨
10. ‌
11. Add the apples to the syrup. Simmer gently for 12 min, turning once, until tender but still holding their shape. Do not overcook them.
12. ‌
13. 4️⃣ Cool the apples ❄️
14. ‌
15. Lift the apples onto a tray. Simmer the syrup for 8 min more so it becomes slightly glossy, then let both apples and syrup cool for 20 min.
16. ‌
17. 5️⃣ Toast the walnuts 🌰
18. ‌
19. Toast the walnuts in a dry pan for 4 min, stirring often, until fragrant. Cool for 5 min, then chop finely.
20. ‌
21. 6️⃣ Mix the filling 🥣
22. ‌
23. Combine walnuts, honey, cinnamon, lemon juice, warm milk or apple syrup, and vanilla. Mix until moist, thick, and spoonable.
24. ‌
25. 7️⃣ Fill the apples 🍎
26. ‌
27. Spoon the walnut filling into each apple cavity. Press lightly so the filling holds, but keep the top generous and rustic.
28. ‌
29. 8️⃣ Finish with cream 🍰
30. ‌
31. Whip the cream with honey for 1 min, until softly thickened. Spoon a little cream over each apple or serve it on the side.
32. ‌
33. 9️⃣ Serve glossy ✨
34. ‌
35. Place each apple in a small bowl, spoon syrup around it, dust with cinnamon, and finish with chopped walnuts. Serve chilled or lightly cool.

Total Time

⏱ Prep: 20 min
🔥 Cook/Bake: 24 min
🛋 Rest: 25 min
⏰ Total: 1 h 09 min

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