Lebanese · Levant / Eastern Mediterranean · dessert

Air-Fryer Baked Apple with Cinnamon and Walnut

تفاح مشوي بالجوز والقرفة

Baked apples stuffed with nuts, warm spice, and a touch of sweetener are a fixture of home kitchens across the eastern Mediterranean — from Turkish elma tatlısı to Lebanese fall desserts that lean on orchard fruit rather than pastry. The air fryer gets you there in 15 minutes with no oven to preheat and no fuss.

• Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples, large

  4 apples (about 2 lb total)

  4 apples (about 900g total)

• raw walnut halves, roughly chopped

  1/2 cup

  55g

• maple syrup

  4 tsp

  20ml

  Substitution · regional authenticity

  Original: date syrup (dibs al-tamr). Date syrup is the traditional Levantine sweetener here and is increasingly available at Middle Eastern grocers or online; maple syrup is a seamless swap in flavor and texture

• ground cinnamon

  1 tsp

  2g

• ground allspice

  1/4 tsp

  0.5g

• unsalted butter, cut into 4 small pieces

  1 tbsp

  14g

• lemon juice, fresh

  1 tsp

  5ml

• fine sea salt

  1 pinch (about 1/8 tsp)

  0.5g

1. 01

   5 min

   Core each apple from the stem end using a melon baller or small spoon, scooping out the seeds and core to leave a cavity about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide and 1.5 inches (4 cm) deep. Do not cut all the way through — you want a solid bottom to hold the filling. A quick squeeze of lemon juice rubbed inside each cavity prevents browning while you work. Active time: about 5 minutes.

2. 02

   3 min

   In a small bowl, stir together the chopped walnuts, maple syrup, cinnamon, allspice, and salt until the nuts are evenly coated. Divide the filling among the four apples, pressing it gently into each cavity. Top each apple with one small piece of butter — this bastes the filling as it cooks and keeps the walnuts from scorching. Active time: about 3 minutes.

3. 03

   2 min

   Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (177°C) for 3 minutes. Place the stuffed apples upright in the basket, spacing them so they do not touch. If your basket is small, work in two batches of two rather than crowding — crowding traps steam and the apples will soften unevenly. Active time: 2 minutes.

4. 04

   15 min

   Air-fry at 350°F (177°C) for 13–16 minutes. Check at 13 minutes by pressing a knife tip gently into the side of the thickest apple — it should yield with light pressure, like a ripe peach. The skin will be slightly wrinkled and the filling will be bubbling. Granny Smith apples hold their shape and may need the full 16 minutes; Honeycrisp softens faster, closer to 13. Do not shake or flip — the apples need to stay upright.

5. 05

   5 min

   Transfer the apples to serving bowls and let them rest 5 minutes before eating — the cavity filling is very hot. Spoon any syrup that pooled in the basket over the top. Serve as-is or with a small spoonful of plain yogurt or vanilla ice cream alongside.

Reheating · Baklava, basbousa, namoura. Sugar acts as a preservative — many keep 3 days at room temp.

Source: foodkeeper