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Tufahije
Walnut-stuffed poached apples
Bosnian poached apples stuffed with walnuts under whipped cream (tufahija)
Tufahije came to Bosnia with the Ottomans, and the name comes from the Persian and Arabic word for apple. In Sarajevo's old Baščaršija quarter they sit in the windows of slastičarne (sweet shops), whole apples poached pale in lemon syrup, filled with sweet walnuts and capped with whipped cream; at home they are a favourite after the iftar meal during Ramadan and at Bajram. They are soft, juicy and only moderately sweet. Chef's tip: choose firm, slightly tart apples and poach them gently; boiling them hard is the classic mistake and leaves you with split, mushy apples.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the apples
- 6 firm tart applessuch as Granny Smith or Braeburn, all a similar size
- 4 ¼ cups water
- 10 ½ oz sugar
- 1 lemonjuiced, halves kept
To serve
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 6 cocktail or sour cherries (optional)
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 2: Peel 6 firm tart apples and remove the cores with an apple corer, making a neat tunnel about 2 cm wide but keeping the apples whole. Drop each into the syrup as you go so it doesn't brown.
Step 3: Poach over a low heat with the syrup barely trembling, turning the apples once, until a thin skewer slides in with only slight resistance, 8–12 minutes. They should look translucent at the edges but hold their shape. Lift them onto a deep dish.
12 minStep 5: Pack the walnut paste into the apple holes, letting a little mound sit on top. Boil the remaining syrup over a high heat until reduced by half and slightly syrupy, about 8 minutes, then pour it around the apples and leave to cool, basting now and then.
8 minStep 6: Chill for at least 1 hour. To serve, whip 1 cup whipping cream to soft peaks, spoon a generous cap over each apple and top each with one of the 6 cocktail or sour cherries if you like. Serve in glasses or bowls with a little syrup.
60 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tufahije take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of firm tart apples?
- Pears, same amount.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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