Chef-tested recipe
Tufahije are a traditional Bosnian dessert of whole poached apples filled with sweet walnuts and finished with cream. The Ottoman-influenced preparation is delicate rather than heavily spiced, allowing the fruit and nuts to remain distinct.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 6 servings
- Cuisine
- Bosnian
- Cooking Method
- Fruit poaching and nut filling
- Best Served With
- Lightly whipped cream and a little poaching syrup
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 firm dessert apples, approximately 1,200 g total
- 220 g walnut halves, finely chopped paid link
- 150 g fine sugar, divided paid link
- 1,000 ml water
- 35 ml lemon juice
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted, optional
- 170 ml cold whipping cream
- 20 g icing sugar for cream, optional
- 2 g ground cinnamon, optional
Method
Core apples. Peel apples and remove cores without cutting completely through the base, making a neat cavity. Brush lightly with some lemon juice to slow browning.
Prepare syrup. Bring water with 100 g sugar and remaining lemon juice to a gentle simmer in a saucepan wide enough to hold the apples.
Poach. Add apples in one layer. Simmer gently 15–25 minutes, turning once if needed, until tender but still holding their shape. Lift out and cool.
Make filling. Mix chopped walnuts with remaining 50 g sugar, optional cinnamon and melted butter if using. Add one or two spoonfuls of syrup to bind lightly.
Fill apples. Pack walnut mixture into the cooled apple cavities and set each on a small serving plate.
Finish and chill. Whip cream softly with optional icing sugar, spoon a little on each apple and serve cool with a small drizzle of poaching liquid.
Beginner Technique Notes
- Use a firm apple that will not collapse during poaching.
- Keep the syrup at a gentle simmer to preserve apple shape.
- Tufahije is shared across parts of the Balkans; regional recipes and toppings differ.
Substitutions
- Omit butter in the walnut filling if preferred.
- Use plain unsweetened whipped cream and let the poaching syrup sweeten the dessert.
- A small amount of vanilla may replace cinnamon.
Storage and Food Safety
Keep filled apples covered in the refrigerator at 4°C or below and use within 2 days. Whip and add cream just before serving where possible. This is not a room-temperature dessert.
Serving Ideas
- Lightly whipped cream and a little poaching syrup
Allergen Notes
Tree nuts (walnuts) and milk if butter or cream are used.
