Tufahija
Often called the national dessert of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but genuinely shared across the Balkans, also traditional in Serbia and North Macedonia. Its name comes from the Arabic 'tuffah,' meaning apple, and it's generally believed to have Persian roots, carried into the Balkans during Ottoman rule alongside other stuffed-fruit and syrup-poached desserts. Real tufahija cores the apple without cutting all the way through, leaving a small cup for the walnut filling, and poaches it briefly in a light sugar-lemon syrup rather than baking it, so the apple stays intact and only lightly softened. It's served cold, topped with whipped cream, traditionally alongside a cup of Bosnian coffee.
⚠ Contains: Tree Nut, Dairy. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 4 firm apples
- 1 liter water
- 1 cup sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp sugar, for the filling
- 1 cup whipped cream
- Maraschino cherries, to garnish
Steps
- Core the apples partway, leaving a small cavity, and peel the top half.
- Bring the water, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla to a boil, then add the apples.
- Poach the apples 5-7 minutes, turning once, until just tender but still holding their shape. Let cool in the syrup.
- Mix the chopped walnuts with the 2 tbsp sugar and stuff into the apple cavities.
- Top each apple with whipped cream and a cherry, and serve cold.