Bosnian Tufahije: Walnut-Stuffed Poached Apples in Vanilla Syrup

Peel the apples smoothly, leaving them whole, and rub them with a little lemon juice as you go so they do not brown while you work.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 6 firm tart apples, such as Golden Delicious or Braeburn
• 4 cups (1 litre) water
• 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split, or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 strip lemon peel and 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups (150g) walnuts, finely ground
• 3 tablespoons sugar, for the filling
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
• 6 walnut halves, for topping

Instructions

1. Peel the apples smoothly, leaving them whole, and rub them with a little lemon juice as you go so they do not brown while you work.
2. Core each apple from the top with a melon baller or a small spoon, hollowing out a generous cavity but stopping short of the base so the shell holds together.
3. Bring the water, sugar, vanilla bean, lemon peel and lemon juice to a simmer in a wide pot, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
4. Lower the apples into the syrup, cover and poach at a gentle simmer for 12 to 18 minutes depending on size. Test with a skewer: they should yield easily but still hold their shape absolutely.
5. Lift the apples out with a slotted spoon, upside down onto a rack, and let them cool and drain. Keep simmering the syrup uncovered until it reduces by about a third and turns lightly viscous.
6. Mash the ground walnuts with the 3 tablespoons of sugar, the softened butter and the cinnamon until the mixture holds together like a soft paste.
7. Pack the walnut filling firmly into each cooled apple cavity, mounding it slightly above the top.
8. Set the apples in a shallow dish and spoon the reduced syrup over them, then chill for at least 3 hours so they drink in the syrup and turn glassy and translucent.
9. Crown each apple with a swirl of whipped cream and a walnut half, and spoon a little of the pooled syrup around the base just before serving.
10. Tufahije came to Bosnia with the Ottomans and stayed to become the country's signature sweet, served in copper-topped bowls in Sarajevo's old bazaar alongside thick coffee. It is a dessert built for the very start of the apple harvest, when the fruit is firm enough to survive poaching whole, and the walnut filling reflects a landscape where walnut trees stand at the edge of nearly every village orchard.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 470 kcal
• Protein: 6g
• Fat: 26g
• Carbohydrates: 58g
• Fiber: 5g
• Sugar: 49g
• Sodium: 20mg