Pecheni Yabalki — Bulgarian Baked Apples
Pecheni Yabalki is a beloved traditional Bulgarian dessert — whole apples cored and filled with sweet raisins, aromatic cinnamon, and a touch of sugar, then slowly baked until tender, juicy, and beautifully caramelised. The apples soften and release their sweet juices, mingling with the warming spices and plump raisins. Simple, wholesome, naturally sweet, and completely plant-based — a comforting treat enjoyed all year round!
Shared by harzel
Time
50 min
Serves
6
Difficulty
easy
🛒 Ingredients
- #Apples & Filling;
- 4–6 firm, sweet apples (Golden Delicious, Gala, or similar)
- 60–80 g raisins or sultanas
- 2–3 tbsp sugar or maple syrup / grape molasses (pekmez)
- 1–2 tsp ground cinnamon.. ¼ tsp ground nutmeg — optional
- 1 tsp lemon zest — optional, brightens flavour
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil or melted coconut oil
- 80–100 ml water — for the baking dish
- #Optional Extra Toppings;
- Walnuts or almonds — chopped.. Extra cinnamon — for dusting
- Grape molasses (pekmez) — drizzled over
👩🍳 Instructions
- 1
Prep the apples: Wash apples thoroughly. Core each apple from the top using an apple corer or small knife — remove the seeds and central core, but keep the bottom intact so the filling stays inside.
- 2
Make the filling: In a small bowl, mix together raisins, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon zest, and oil. Stir until well combined.
- 3
Stuff the apples: Spoon the filling generously into each apple cavity — press it down gently and heap a little extra on top. Arrange the apples upright in a baking dish.
- 4
Bake until tender: Pour water into the bottom of the dish — this keeps them moist and creates a lovely syrupy sauce. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 30–40 minutes until the apples are soft and easily pierced with a knife. Don’t overbake or they will collapse!
- 5
Serve warm: Let cool slightly — the juices thicken as they cool. Spoon the sweet syrup from the dish over each apple. Dust with extra cinnamon, sprinkle with chopped nuts, or drizzle with pekmez. Enjoy warm!