Charoset
- 20m Prep Time
- 5m Cook Time
- 35m Ready In
Charoset is a symbolic Passover dish with two common variations: a Sephardic dried fruit paste and an Ashkenazi spiced apple relish. Both are sweet and nutty, often served on the Seder plate.
Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted dried dates, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup dried figs, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup dry or sweet red wine, apple juice, or grape juice
- 1 cup almonds or walnuts
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- (⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom)
- (Finely grated zest of 1 orange)
- 3 tart-sweet apples such as Honeycrisp or Pink Lady, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons dry or sweet red wine
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts or almonds
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 1 cup pitted dried dates, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup dried figs, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup dry or sweet red wine, apple juice, or grape juice
- 1 cup almonds or walnuts
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- (⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom)
- (Finely grated zest of 1 orange)
- 3 tart-sweet apples such as Honeycrisp or Pink Lady, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons dry or sweet red wine
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts or almonds
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Combine in a medium saucepan: 1 cup pitted dried dates, coarsely chopped; 1 cup dried figs, coarsely chopped; 1 cup dry or sweet red wine, apple juice, or grape juice
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Step 2.
Bring just to a boil, then remove from the heat, cover, and let the fruit plump for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, toast: 1 cup almonds or walnuts
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Step 3.
Coarsely chop the nuts and add them to a food processor. Strain the plumped fruit, reserving the wine, and add the fruit to the food processor along with: ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon ground allspice; ¼ teaspoon salt; (⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom); (Finely grated zest of 1 orange)
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Step 4.
Pulse until the mixture is finely ground into a sticky, slightly chunky paste, adding a little of the reserved wine if needed. The charoset may be served as is or rolled into balls. Store indefinitely in an airtight container at room temperature.
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Step 5.
ASHKENAZI
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Step 6.
About 4 cups
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Step 7.
Combine in a medium bowl: 3 tart-sweet apples such as Honeycrisp or Pink Lady, peeled, cored, and finely chopped; 3 tablespoons dry or sweet red wine; 2 tablespoons honey; ½ cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts or almonds; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
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Step 8.
Store, refrigerated, for up to 3 hours before serving.