Homemade Charoset

Talk about a last minute post, this is my last one (as it stands now) for the holiday of Passover 2022. It’s just that I generally make this right before the Seder and don’t have the time (or patience) to take a pic and post. This year, thank G-d, I’m all done and pretty calm altogether and this dish has been requested often and I finally have the time to post it.

Charoset is supposed to resemble the mortar which the Jewish people used to build during their slavery and while it’s a reminder, it’s also sweet and delicious and you combine it with the Maror (bitter herbs) to rejoice at our freedom. So while a powerful image on the Seder plate it’s also a condiment looked forward to all year by the whole family. If there’s any left over, it’s used as a jam like object to spread on matzah. In fact, there’s often a cry of disappointment when for next day’s lunch we run out.

So without further ado, this is my combo of Ashkenazi style charoset with dates added which is a Sephardi element which greatly pleases me and, I feel, changes the taste and texture to the better. Enjoy and Chag Sameach! Happy Passover!!

Collect your ingredients.

Take a food processor or blender and put in the sweet wine, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange peel, cut up firm and sweet apple (I used a Pink Lady), dates- many more than pictured here, no worries, the amount is below- and your walnuts.

Start with very little wine since you want it thick and jammy, not too loose. Pulse all together in the food processor, adding the pitted dates as needed till you get a thick and delish pasty spread. Taste to see if you need more cinnamon or nutmeg and mound in a bowl to serve. Abso delish!

Homemade Charoset

grated peel of half an orange
1/2-1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1-2 tablespoons sweet wine
1 large peeled and cored apple (I used a Pink Lady but as you like, just firm and tasty)
20 pitted dates, preferably madjhool
1/3-1/2 cup walnut halves

Directions:

Chunk the apple into quarters and put everything in the processor, adding half the dates and pulse together, adding dates till you get a nice thick jammy consistency. Taste to see if you want to add some additional cinnamon or nutmeg. Stores well in the fridge up to a week. Perfect as a spread for matzah.