Tufahija is a Bosnian dessert, an elegant walnut-stuffed apple baked in simple syrup and spiced with cinnamon and cloves, that’s done in an hour. When cooled, the apples are topped by a dollop of whipped cream making it a simple but surprisingly elegant dessert to muster. But why a Bosnian dessert on a Mexican news site? There are two reasons: One, international cooking/baking recipes are taking the world by storm. (I guess it’s that ever-present curiosity to experience different cultures through their cuisine.) Two, this recipe could be made oh-so-much better with a Mexican twist.
Although Bosnia and Mexico don’t have much in common (other than good diplomatic relations), for this recipe they do: Apples! And tufahija is a traditional Bosnian dessert that dates to the Ottoman Empire. In fact, the Arabic word “tuffāḥ,” means apple.
This recipe poaches walnut (or almond, or any other nut of your choice) stuffed apples in simple syrup, spiced with cinnamon and cloves, making them enticingly aromatic. When done and cooled, whipped cream or crème fraiche tops them off — which got me thinking. What if this simple syrup was infused with tequila, and the apples were poached in this rich, sweet, liquor-laden water? And what if the apples were topped by tequila whipped cream? I think you’d have a unique, kicked-up Mexican dessert that would knock the socks off its Bosnian counterpart.
If you’re not wild about apples, you can substitute pears. And if you don’t like walnuts, you can use hazelnuts, or almonds, or pistachios. There’s a lot you can do to make this recipe your own, or if you happen to be a teetotaler, then follow the recipe as is.
This recipe uses tequila because it has a neutral profile, and this permits the sweetness of the apple to take center stage, which means the taste of the fruit is accentuated by the liquor and not overpowered by it. Disfruta!
Tequila Tufahija Recipe
If using tequila, start a day ahead to infuse the syrup:
In a pot large enough to hold the apples, put ½ Cup sugar, 4 Cups of water, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and a pinch of salt. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Add 4-8 TBS. of tequila (depending on your taste).
Cover and let infuse overnight, in the refrigerator, to allow the flavors to meld.
Ingredients:
- 4 medium-size tart apples (Granny Smith or Golden Delicious) (manzanas)
- 1 Cup (130 g) walnuts (or almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios), finely chopped (nueces)
- 1/2 Cup (100 g) sugar for syrup (azúcar estándar)
- 1/4 Cup (50 g) sugar for filling (azúcar estándar)
- 1 tsp. (4.2 g) vanilla extract (extracto de vainilla)
- Mexican brands noted for intense flavor: Villa Vainilla; Vainilla Totonac’s; Molina Vainilla
- 4 Cups water (agua)
- 2 cinnamon sticks (rama de canela)
- 5-6 cloves (clovas)
- lemon juice (from half a lemon) (limón)
- pinch of salt (sal)
Instructions:
First:
- Prep the apples: Peel the apples and core them. Create a cavity in the middle without breaking through to the bottom.
- Rub the outside of the cored apples with lemon juice to prevent browning.
Next:
- Prepare the filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the finely chopped nuts, 1/4 Cup sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
- Fill each apple with the nut mixture, pressing down gently to pack the filling.
Next:
- Prepare the syrup: In a pot large enough to hold all the apples, combine 4 cups of water, 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and a pinch of salt. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
- If using the tequila-infused syrup, remove from the refrigerator, and reheat the syrup over medium heat.
- Poach the apples: Once the syrup is ready, gently place the stuffed apples into the pot.
- The apples should be almost submerged in the syrup.
- Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, cover the pot, and let the apples poach for about 30-40 minutes, or until they are tender but still hold their shape.
- Once cooked, remove the apples from heat and allow them to cool in the syrup.
To Serve:
- When cool, place each apple on an individual dessert plate.
- Pour some of the syrup over the top and garnish with any remaining nut mixture.
- Top with whipped cream or tequila whipped cream.
Tequila Whipped Cream:
Ingredients:
1 Cup (120 g) heavy whipping cream (crema para batir)
¼ Cup (25 g) powdered sugar (azúcar glasé)
1 ½ TBS. (21 g) Tequila (don’t use more!)
Instructions:
Place all ingredients in a bowl and whip with an electric hand-mixer until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to serve!
Deborah McCoy is the one-time author of mainstream, bridal-reference books who has turned her attention to food, particularly sweets, desserts and fruits. She is the founder of CakeChatter™ on FaceBook and X (Twitter), and the author of four baking books for “Dough Punchers” via CakeChatter (available @amazon.com). She is also the president of The American Academy of Wedding Professionals.
